For the sixth consecutive year, Frank Salt Investments Ltd will be awarding e2,500 to the person/s or organisation, who in the opinion of the adjudicating committee, stands out from the other competitors.
This year it was no mean feat for the adjudicating committee, comprised of Martin Scicluna (chairman), Maurice de Giorgio, Philip Farrugia Randon, Mario Tabone and Frank Salt – all highly professional people in their respective fields – to reach a unanimous decision as to who truly merited the prize, this year related to the environment.
Environment encompasses a vast array of topics and is a sector which, in recent years, is becoming much more relevant to everyone’s way of life. There is now much more awareness of living on a “cleaner” planet and possibly limiting the damage already done over the centuries; whether it is pollution, marine life or health, to name but a few of our daily problems.
The monetary award, as well as a certificate of appreciation, will be presented to the winners by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at a function in early January.
Frank Salt, whose firm is the brainchild behind the award, said: “The objective of this annual award is to recognise the great collective efforts that often go unnoticed by the public in general that are made by the individual/s or organisation”. The award serves also to reward and further promote the good works achieved by the winner’s endeavours in that particular sector.
By selecting a different theme every year, the committee has the opportunity to acknowledge and highlight the remarkable work done by a wide spectrum of extremely talented people, whose interests are manifold – varying from safeguarding the environment to excelling in philanthropic work, promoting culture/arts, to being someone who instils a sense of national pride in all Maltese and Gozitans.
Previous winners of the award were:
2004: Gaia Foundation – for the environment
2005: M.J. Publications – for the book Momento Mori Volume 1 & 2 The most beautiful floor in the world – for culture
2006: Prof. Alex Manche – for national pride
2007: Janatha Stubbs – for philanthropic works
2008: Voices – for the arts
The winner for 2009 will be announced in a few weeks time. Suffice it to say that the committee’s decision was unanimous for many reasons, among which is the fact that a number of people and organisations are now following the winner’s example and taking their own initiatives. As a result, the maltese Islands are now looking more beautiful through this joint effort, and a sense of pride has been installed in various towns and villages in Malta and Gozo.