{"id":5738,"date":"2015-01-28T15:03:05","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T15:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alps.asmlt.com\/?page_id=5738"},"modified":"2015-01-28T15:10:05","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T15:10:05","slug":"administrative-report-2004","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/?page_id=5738","title":{"rendered":"ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 2004"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t<\/a> <\/p>\n

JANUARY-DECEMBER 2004<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Number of members up to date in
\n payment:<\/strong><\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n\n
469<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of new members during 2004:<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/td>\n\n
8<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of life members in 2004:<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/td>\n\n

6
\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Number of life members to date:<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/td>\n\n

68
\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Number of issues of ALPS News during
\n 2004:<\/strong><\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n\n
10<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of Council of Administration
\n meetings held during 2004:<\/strong><\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n\n
9<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Thanks to the great efforts made by all members of the Council
\n of Administration and the respective commissions, 2004 can
\n be marked as another successful year that included social,
\n cultural, civic and spiritual activities throughout, but especially
\n the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Association of Lyceum
\n Past Students.<\/p>\n

The year started off with the Annual General Meeting on
\n 25th January, and the new Council of Administration soon settled
\n down to organise a whole year of activities. The first one
\n was a Valentine\u2019s Day Dinner at the Victoria Hotel,
\n Sliema, on 14th February. This was well attended by over 60
\n couples who thoroughly enjoyed the evening. <\/p>\n

This year was a special year for the Association because
\n it marked its tenth anniversary. An ad hoc sub-committee within
\n the Council was formed to prepare an exceptional programme
\n of activities befitting the occasion. <\/p>\n

All members could easily notice that during 2004 every issue
\n of ALPS News bore a special logo commemorating the ten years
\n 1994\u20132004. This special logo, which was very well received,
\n was the work of graphic designer Ramon Micallef under the
\n guidance of Founder-President Dr Guido Saliba. All correspondence
\n and mail sent out by the Association similarly bore stickers
\n with the anniversary logo. <\/p>\n

The anniversary activities were launched at a news conference
\n held at the Victoria Hotel on 26th February. Representatives
\n of the local media were given an outline of the ALPS Mission
\n Statement and its numerous activities \u2013 philanthropic,
\n social and cultural \u2013 over the past ten years. Also
\n distributed at the news conference was a special number of
\n ALPS News, printed in full colour, with information about
\n the anniversary activities. These included an awareness-enhancing
\n interview on the Television Malta cultural programme \u201cMeander\u201d
\n by Mrs Mariella Pisani Bencini, who on various occasions has
\n very willingly helped to give additional exposure to ALPS
\n activities.<\/p>\n

The special programme for the tenth anniversary started
\n on 4th March 2004 with a concert at the Corinthia Palace Hotel,
\n Balzan. The event was held in association with the \u201cWindows
\n on Music\u201d series organised by the Malta Tourism Authority.
\n This special evening was indeed a glittering occasion, and
\n will long be hard to beat for success in the annals of ALPS
\n both for its content and for the unprecedented attendance
\n for such concerts, with the audience packing every available
\n space in the spacious Chameleon Suite. It took months to organise
\n this special event, a Concert of Compositions by Prof. Charles
\n Camilleri – himself a Lyceum Past Student – who took the idea
\n as a personal challenge when approached with it. The concert
\n also featured world-renowned clarinetist David Campbell, whose
\n participation was sponsored by British music publishers Messrs.
\n Boosey & Hawkes. Mr Campbell\u2019s trip to Malta was
\n sponsored by Air Malta.<\/p>\n

One long-awaited feature launched during the anniversary
\n celebrations was the Association\u2019s website, www.ALPSmalta.com.
\n Its setting up was generously sponsored by ALPS member Mr
\n Stephen D\u2019Alessandro, Managing Director of E-Business
\n Systems. This included months of hard work by Publications
\n & Communications Commission Chairman Mr Laurie Vella,
\n who put all the pieces together to make the website take shape.\n <\/p>\n

The Carlson Suite at the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort was
\n chosen as the venue for the celebration dinner to commemorate
\n the tenth anniversary of the Association. A pre-dinner thanksgiving
\n Mass was concelebrated at the Clermont Suite by ALPS Spiritual
\n Director Fr William Bartolo OFM Conv. and Fr Albert Felice
\n Pace OP, a Lyceum Past Student who was visiting from the USA
\n where he is based. The dinner too was a resounding success,
\n with more than 200 persons attending. This special event featured
\n ALPS Founder-President Dr Guido Saliba sending out the Association\u2019s
\n website on line from a special set-up of equipment in the
\n Carlson Suite itself. Dr Saliba also distributed 10-year membership
\n certificates to all founder members, as well as a special
\n certificate to mark the appointment of Mr Winston V. Zahra,
\n Chairman of the Island Hotels Group, as the first Honorary
\n Life Member of ALPS for his unwavering support of our activities.
\n Dr Saliba rounded up the strengths and achievements of ALPS
\n in a speech that sadly was to be his last major one for the
\n Association.<\/p>\n

The Association offered its full support to the organisers
\n of the Lyceum Bicycle Marathon, which had been postponed from
\n the previous autumn and providentially fell within the ALPS
\n anniversary month, March. With Dr Saliba having tendered his
\n resignation as President at the first Council of Administration
\n meeting after the celebration dinner, at which time he was
\n elected Honorary President for Life and Acting Deputy President,
\n it fell to Acting President George Stagno Navarra to present
\n the marathon organisers with a cheque towards the event\u2019s
\n proceeds, which eventually exceeded Lm10,000. The total amount
\n was presented to the President of Malta Edward Fenech Adami
\n in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund, with a special request
\n that the funds be allocated to the treatment of children with
\n cancer. <\/p>\n

During June two cultural activities were held. The first
\n one was a cultural visit to San Anton Palace and Private Gardens.
\n Thanks go to ALPS member Brigadier Claude Gaffiero, who conducted
\n the tour free of charge. After the tour the participants,
\n who numbered about 90, got together for a light lunch at Saracino\u2019s
\n Restaurant in Attard. The second cultural tour held during
\n June was a visit to the Caravaggio Exhibition in the restored
\n Caraffa Stores at the Cottonera Waterfront, followed by a
\n light lunch at the same premises. This was also well attended
\n by over 100 members and their families.<\/p>\n

To make June a really busy month for the Association, a
\n spiritual weekend retreat was also organised at Manresa House
\n in Gozo. This was led by outgoing MUSEUM Secretary-General
\n Mr John Formosa, and 30 members attended together with their
\n spouses. <\/p>\n

July 2004 can also be considered as a special month for the
\n Association of Lyceum Past Students. This was because it marked
\n the completion of the full restoration of the Chapel of St
\n Anne at Pwales. Under the guidance of Civics Commission Chairman
\n Mr Charles Calleja the project was started about three years
\n ago and was finished in time to be inaugurated in conjunction
\n with the tenth anniversary of the Association. The last task
\n to complete the restoration was the laying of a new floor
\n of franka flagstones and the polishing of the floor. <\/p>\n

The inauguration was held during the liturgical feast of
\n St Anne, which again was well attended by members, families
\n and friends. A full programme was organised which included
\n Holy Mass with the participation of the choir of the University
\n of the Third Age under the direction of Mro Joe Fenech (aka
\n Social Activities Commission Chairman), whom the Council thanks
\n for the services of the choir at such activities. The event
\n also included the blessing of a new pedestal for the statue
\n of St Anne (material for which was donated by the Studiomoda
\n Group) and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the
\n Founder Dr Guido Saliba and Minister Dr Francis Zammit Dimech.
\n Thanks go to Council members and their spouses who prepared
\n the eats and drinks for the reception held to wind up the
\n celebration. A big vote of thanks also goes to the Lyceum
\n Scouts Group who, on the initiative of Council member Mr Joe
\n Micallef, spent a whole weekend cleaning the areas leading
\n to and surrounding the chapel and doing other necessary works
\n to make the event a success.<\/p>\n

A socio-cultural event was held during September which,
\n although not very well-attended, was nonetheless a success
\n in the enjoyment of all who did participate. The event included
\n an afternoon visit to the wartime shelters at Mgarr, including
\n high tea and Mass, and an evening at the Paradise Bay Resort
\n Hotel where participants were treated to a lavish buffet and
\n a very enjoyable cabaret show to finish up the night. For
\n this event the Council of Administration also laid on an experimental
\n transport service, which went down very well with all those
\n who made use of it. Also in September the Association organised
\n a seven-day tour to Sardegna, with the participation of about
\n 18 members and their families. <\/p>\n

The cultural tour to Vittoriosa in October attracted a good
\n turn-out. The Association is indebted to historian Mr Lino
\n Bugeja, who gave the group of nearly a hundred participants
\n a brief history of Birgu. This tour included a visit to the
\n Inquisitor\u2019s Palace, St Lawrence Parish Church and Museum
\n and lunch at Il-Forn Restaurant, also situated also in Birgu,
\n to round it off. <\/p>\n

After taking the helm of the Association, Acting President
\n Mr George Stagno Navarra put the idea to the rest of the Council
\n of Administration that the Association deserved to have its
\n own \u201chome\u201d where various activities and meetings
\n could be held. Eleven years after the formation of ALPS this
\n dream came true when Dr Guido Saliba offered the Association
\n his former legal office in Piet\u00e0 to be used as the
\n ALPS Headquarters. Thanks go to Mrs Irene Saliba who originally
\n suggested the idea to the Association\u2019s Founder. It
\n will be up to the new Council to decide whether or not to
\n take up this offer at a nominal rent of Lm15 monthly, which
\n was also agreed with Dr and Mrs Saliba. <\/p>\n

In November the association paid its tribute to the deceased
\n ALPS members and former Lyceum students and teachers with
\n the now-customary Requiem Mass at the Chapel of St Anne in
\n Pwales. Spiritual Director Fr William Bartolo said Holy Mass
\n for a packed chapel which included a number of residents of
\n the Pwales area.<\/p>\n

The full restoration of the Chapel of St Anne at Pwales
\n had a very good exposure with a feature in the popular cultural
\n programme \u201cMeander\u201d on Television Malta. Besides
\n filming on location producer-presenter Mrs Mariella Pisani
\n Bencini interviewed Mr George Stagno Navarra and Mr Charles
\n Calleja, who both gave a detailed account of the works done
\n by the Association, especially the restoration and the day-to-day
\n administration of the chapel. The Acting President also took
\n the occasion to invite past students of The Lyceum to join
\n the Association and highlighted other cultural and civic works
\n carried out by ALPS.<\/p>\n

It is a source of satisfaction that we have now got it into
\n our system to issue at least ten editions a year of ALPS News,
\n which invariably seeks to drum up support for forthcoming
\n events and dutifully reports on the most recent ones. The
\n Association is indebted to Messrs Integrated Electronics Ltd
\n of San Gwann for sponsoring the printing of the newsletter
\n throughout 2004.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead there is, indeed, much that remains to be
\n done, not only by the Council of Administration but also by
\n ALPS members in general. Somebody once said that the most
\n constant thing is change, and change we must \u2013 for the
\n better \u2013 if we are to see this Association of ours make
\n the progress it deserves. <\/p>\n

(a) The most important change of all would arguably be a
\n serious effort by every individual member to support a drive
\n for new members through the contacts that all of us must still
\n have with former Lyceum schoolmates.<\/p>\n

(b) Quite besides the local membership drive, efforts will
\n be renewed to recharge interest in ALPS on the part of Lyceum
\n Past Students who have emigrated, notably to Australia, USA
\n and Canada. Again in this context it would help immensely
\n if every ALPS member would use any remaining contacts with
\n former schoolmates.<\/p>\n

(c) We are currently in the process of renewing our letterhead
\n in anticipation of ordering new stocks, and non-Council members
\n would be very welcome to suggest a new lay-out for consideration
\n with others that have already been put forward. Any member
\n who would like a copy of the letterhead to work on will be
\n gladly supplied therewith.<\/p>\n

(d) Serious steps must be taken to relieve the Association
\n of some of its financial load. ALPS News has repeatedly called
\n for members to give us their e-mail addresses so that the
\n newsletter can be sent to them electronically, with the obvious
\n saving of mailing costs. The current list stands at 60 \u2013
\n a far cry from its true potential in this day and age when
\n almost everybody has access to e-mail.<\/p>\n

(e) Although the ALPS website keeps growing as commitments
\n allow, it is still not being made optimum use of for Lyceum
\n Past Students to make contact with one another and possibly
\n even organise get-togethers or class reunions. Having said
\n that, it is gratifying to put on record that in the first
\n ten months of its existence the website has attracted a total
\n of 767 visits. Understandably, March was the month with the
\n highest number of (curious?) visitors to date: 104.<\/p>\n

This Administrative Report for 2004 will necessarily have
\n to finish on a very sad note. On 9th December we had to pay
\n our last respects and bid farewell to our Founder Dr Guido
\n Saliba, who eleven years ago dreamed of forming the Association
\n of Lyceum Past Students. I who have served as Secretary-General
\n since the inception of the Association and worked hand-in-hand
\n with him can say that we have lost a teacher, a friend and
\n a father. The only consolation \u2013 if consolation it can
\n be \u2013 is the fitting farewell that our dear Founder was
\n given at his funeral, at which, with the family\u2019s permission,
\n the Council of Administration of ALPS proudly gave its full
\n involvement. On behalf of all ALPS members I wish to take
\n this occasion to convey again the condolences of the Council
\n and all ALPS members to Mrs Irene Saliba and her family.<\/p>\n

One of the immediate thoughts at the news of the demise
\n of Dr Saliba was to cancel the Christmas Dinner which had
\n been planned for 11th December, just two days after the funeral,
\n but Mrs Saliba did not agree Her answer to the Council was
\n that Guido would have wanted the event to go ahead as planned,
\n and that she was sure he would be looking on us all with pleasure
\n from where he is. May he rest in peace. <\/p>\n

ALEX BORG
\n ALPS Secretary-General<\/p>\n

Administrative
\n Reports:<\/font><\/strong> 2003<\/a>
\n 2004<\/a> 2005<\/a>
\n 2006<\/a> 2007<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JANUARY-DECEMBER 2004 Number of members up to date in payment:   469 Number of new members during 2004:   8 Number of life members in 2004:   6 Number of life members to date:...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":25,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5738","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5739,"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5738\/revisions\/5739"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}