Italian recognition for Louis Farrugia

A friend of mine told me: “I don’t understand how you can go out so often and enjoy yourself talking to mostly the same people over and over again. I don’t want to go to these parties, receptions and so on and have a good time. I simply don’t enjoy having a good time.” Well, if we all reasoned in this way there would be little point in anyone organizing anything at all.  It is true that it is impossible to accept all invitations, particularly as sometimes they ‘clash’ with either family ‘bonding’ sessions, trips abroad or other events – but I do my best to go whenever I can not only to be gracious to those who bothered to invite me but also to seize the opportunity to meet up with friends and acquaintances I would otherwise rarely see and generally keep my fingers on the pulse of life.

 But can you imagine what life must be like for members of the cabinet and their wives, and the Leader of the Opposition (not for long I hope!) and Mrs Muscat?  Every corner shop and motorcar cycle sidecar racer would like some press coverage and they know there is more likelihood of their getting it if there is a minister present let alone the Prime Minister or Dr Muscat.

And the following, for some reason comes to mind. During the plane back from some summit or another someone asked the then French premier, François Mitterand, what is, in his opinion, the most important quality for a politician. He replied: “I would like to say, sincerity. But it is, in fact, indifference.”  No wonder he is the longest-serving President of France as leader of the Socialist Party and the first figure from the left elected President under the Fifth Republic. Interesting to note that he started political life on the Catholic nationalist right. Subsequently he moved to the left, and held ministerial office repeatedly and outmanoeuvred rivals to become the left's standard bearer in every presidential election from 1965 to 1988, except 1969. He was a surviver. Perhaps it was indifference that did the trick. Too much intensity about life wears us out in the end.

And what about the fascination with celebrity these days – think of the popularity of Hello! magazine which is found in every hairdresser’s and doctor’s waiting room and that other skimming-on-the-surface of life programme on TV - E-entertainment? What must life be like for these stars and starlets who go from one continent to the other, who need to be constantly in the limelight for the sake of their careers? No wonder so few ‘celebrity’ marriages survive for very long if couples are rarely in the same country let alone under the same roof.

But to get back to the Italian award.

Louis Farrugia needs no introduction. He quietly goes about his business as chairman of various important organizations but above all as one of Malta’s leading industrialists and chairman of the Farsons Group. We have watched this industry going from strength to strength over the years. No wonder Mr Farrugia is so much sought after to be a director or sit on a board, most recently that of Air Malta. He probably gives inspired solutions to various dilemmas which crop up in every business.  He was recently nominated Ufficiale dell’ Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana.  The order is bestowed by decree of the President of the Italian Republic as head of the orders of knighthood, on the recommendation of the President of the Council of Ministers. This honour on Mr Farrugia was bestowed by the departing Italian Ambassador, H.E. Eficio Luigi Marras, at a ceremony held on 15 January 2013 at the premises of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura on St George’s square, in front of the Palace in Valletta and for those of us who are old enough to remember, the former Garrison Library. 

At the distinguished gathering, the ambassador, in a short speech, highlighted the altruistic and civic spirit of Mr Farrugia, as demonstrated in his voluntary involvement in so many initiatives outside his direct line of business.  Over time Mr Farrugia apart from many other appointments, has served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority and more recently the national airline, Air Malta.  In business, his positive regard towards Italy culminated in the successful setting up of Liquigas (Malta) Ltd, a joint venture between Liquigas Italia and Multigas Ltd, that led to the privatization of LPG business in Malta. 

Mr Farrugia was sitting on the board of The Malta Independent on Sunday when it was little more than a project on paper, and that is when I met him for the first time. He subsequently sent Michael Mallia one of his right-hand men,  to represent him. Those were interesting times for our newspaper which was to expand from a Sunday into a daily paper, the Malta Business Weekly and a number of popular magazines. I believe at some stage Mr Farrugia gave up his interests in our newspaper.

 During the short and significant ceremony he expressed his deep thanks at the honour bestowed on him and confirmed his commitment to keep on seeking to promote closer commercial collaboration for the mutual benefit of Malta and Italy. He is not a man of many words.

On this occasion I was introduced to Dr Salvatore Schirmo, the new Dirretore of the Istituto whose last post was in Barcelona where he spent four years. He considers himself to be “profondamente uomo dl Mediterraneo.”

But this occasion also meant farewell to the Italian ambassador, who is already installed in his new post in Rome, and his wife Sophia who is staying here until their daughter Teresa finished her scholastic year. We shall miss them for they are so very simpatico. In an email he wrote “It is not easy to leave this country and her wonderful people: these are ordinary words, but if one feels deeply what they mean, as I do, they are very true. My family and I have ‘grown’ in Malta (in spite of our age!) and we will go back home spiritually richer than when we came.” The Marras also published a booklet about Villa Bel Air in Ta’Xbiex where they lived for the short spell they were here, and where they were so happy. Need I add that we wish them nothing but ‘Tante belle cose’?