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IN one of the narrow streets of Rabat, overcome by the smell of fresh wood, Joe Borg tal-Arlek- kin's carpentry workshop is one of the few of its kind left on the island. Although now retired at 75-years-old, with his son taking over most of the business, Joe never misses a day of being in his garage to work on a thing or two. He recalls his first moments with wood in his father's work- shop, where he fell in love with carpentry. "Give me nothing—but give me wood. You wouldn't find any money in my pocket; I'd go and spend it on more wood", he tells me with a smile. Joe Borg, known as tal-Arlekkin by locals, was born and raised in Rabat, brought up in the same street where his workshop is found. As a senior carpenter with over 60 years of experience, he sits down for this interview inside his workshop, recalling the techniques, memories, and hardships of the craft. "My father knew I didn't want to continue with school, even though he was strict about it. But I didn't care; all I wanted was the wood; my mind was always on his workshop. I spent all my time there, inventing things", he re- counts. "I used to make wooden trucks, and by the age of 12, I was already doing some real work for my father, like building kitchen cupboards." Joe's father died young, and when the workshop he once had was not available anymore, he started using the basement, where his father used to raise rabbits. Since money was tight, he refurbished the space himself. "I used to work down there, sometimes even outside in the garden; that's how I started, with almost nothing," he says. His work at his current work- shop was just a part-time job at first, and it only consisted of one small room at the time, which required him to work on wood sideways just so it could fit. Up until 10 years ago, Joe was still making use of his old ma- chinery that he had built him- self. He explains that at the time he didn't have money to buy a machine for the basement, so he made his own using a brace he owned, built a wooden table, and tied the brace underneath it, making him able to cut wood. I share with him that from a young age, I used to pass by his workshop with curiosity and stop to peek inside. With a smile, he tells me that people, even 10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 JANUARY 2026 FEATURE €60,000,000 5% Unsecured Bonds 2033 NOMINAL VALUE OF €100 PER BOND OFFER NOW OPEN Closing January 28, 2026 but may close earlier if oversubscribed Guaranteed by Hili Ventures Limited This advert has been issued by Hili Finance Company p.l.c. Prior to investing in bonds issued by the company, prospective investors are urged to consult their financial advisors and read the prospectus before making an investment decision in order to fully understand the potential risks and rewards associated with the decision to invest in the bonds. The value of the investment can go up or down and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. The approval of the prospectus by the Malta Financial Services Authority and, or the admission of the bonds to trading on a regulated market should not be understood as an endorsement of the bonds offered. This advert has been approved by M.Z. Investment Services Limited of 63, MZ House, St Rita Street Rabat RBT 1523 Malta. Read more on www.hilifinance.com/5percentbonds2033 Advertisement FULLY SUBSCRIBED Hands of time: A carpenter navigating Joe Borg's workshop has been open for over 50 years and is still thriving to this day with traditional handmade woodwork. Jade Bezzina stopped by to speak to him about his trade and as it turns out, his life Joe Borg (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)