He died while Air Malta is still up and running. It would have pained him immensely to see it die.

And yet I remember him with Chairman Joe Tabone (the only one of the airline executive who was present in those terrible hours) during that long night in 1995 when the order had already been given to shut down the airline.

Then came an order from Castille – the directive was withdrawn and the strike was over.

Wilfred Borg, just out of university, was one of the first employees with Air Malta right from its inception.

He nurtured the airline and saw it grow, filled many posts in it and was given quite sensitive tasks, including that of point man in the Lockerbie investigation.

He served under many chairmen and was praised for his competence, his way of doing things, his prudence and his redoubtable integrity. He also suffered for this.

He called me a few weeks ago and I went to see him. I found him frail and debilitated by sickness, yet his mind was crystal clear and his memory photographic.

I treasure that meeting more now that I know it was the last one.

Rest in peace, Wilfred

Noel Grima