Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/244624
44 Events maltatoday, Sunday, 19 January 2014 MDA elect new President Three and a half years after the Malta Developers Association was established to be the highest body and voice of private Real Estate developers in Malta, the association has a new President. Outgoing President Michael Falzon decided not to stand for reelection for personal reasons and Vice-President Sandro Chetcuti was elected President at the MDA Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 16 January, at Villa Rosa, St Julian's. After the meeting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addressed the MDA members present and attended a reception. In his address at the end of the meeting, Falzon thanked all the committee members, including those co-opted, for their contribution during the year, especially Mr Chetcuti, one of the MDA's founders, who always did his utmost and dedicated a lot of time to the Association. Looking back at the past year, Falzon mentioned how active it was for the MDA. "In a year where a general election was held, the MDA managed to influence the policies of the two main political parties in last year's Budget, which was adopted by the new administration that was elected in March, as well as their electoral manifestos and this year's Budget. "We boast with satisfaction that the authorities adopted many of the measures which you members asked us to strive to obtain. It was also a year in which the MDA became a member of the European Union of Developers and House Builders (UEPC) and therefore today it is recognised on a European level." Falzon referred to statistics that were published in the latest Central Bank report: "One notices that in the past 12 months the construction sector has not continued to regress and is practically stabilised on levels which, although low compared to what they were before, are not showing signs of continued weakening. "The contribution of the Construction sector to GDP and bank lending to the construction and Real Estate sectors have not declined in a significant manner. A positive indicator is that bank lending to home buyers has increased. We can state with confidence that the sector today is not continuing to regress and we hope it will begin to recover." In his speech, Falzon recommend- ed that the new MDA committee employ a person to take over the Association's administration and to locate a place that can be used as its headquarters. After Falzon's speech it was the turn of the new President of the Association, Chetcuti, to also address the meeting. He stressed the positive results achieved by the MDA in the first three and a half years since it was established: "We are being effective each time we press our arguments to ensure that the building industry will be sound and sustainable. "We are working together and putting our full commitment to ensure we mature even more so that we can understand also what is to the benefit of the country as a whole. In one of the first initiatives we drafted a Code of Ethics that many members are respecting. There is still, however, more to be done so that everyone will conform. "The more time passes the more we appreciate not only when things go in our favour but also when the whole country benefits because only in this way can Malta become a European model where you feel proud to invest in this rock which we treasure so much." National Exhibition of Students' Art 2014 launched in Valletta The Malta Society of Arts (MSA) launched the National Exhibition of Students' Art 2014 on Wednesday, 15 January at MSA's premises, Palazzo de La Salle, in Republic Street, Valletta, with a call for students in four age categories to submit their works. The exhibition itself will be held between Thursday, 13 March, and Saturday, 12 April, 2014, at Palazzo de La Salle. Students must have reached one of the four age categories by Monday, 24 February, 2014: 5-7 years; 8-11 years; 12-15 years; and 16-17 years. According to the Acting President of MSA, Jessica de Battista: "The aim is to encourage creativity among students while offering the possibility to expose their work." Works to be submitted need not be produced specially for the exhibition, but may be selected from current works, she added. Entries may be executed in any medium. There are no restrictions on the choice of subject and/or medium of expression. "There are two forms of entries: 2D and 3D," Exhibition Curator Eman Grima said. "The maximum size of a 2D entry is not to exceed A2, including the mounting and/or frame; the maximum size of a 3D entry is not to exceed 1m x 1m x 1m." The selection and display of exhibits will be entirely at the discretion of the MSA, whose decision shall be final and not subject to review. The Exhibition Selection Committee shall consider all entries on the basis of the Jessica de Battista and Eman Grima criteria explained in the Terms and Conditions. Due to restricted exhibition space, a maximum of 120 submissions will be chosen to participate in the exhibition. The Exhibition Selection Committee will be composed of: the MSA President as chairperson; and six members – the MSA Honorary Secretary, representatives of the Education Department, the Independent Schools and Church Schools, and two independent members. The MSA's Manager is the committee's secretary. The students of the selected entries will be notified on Saturday, 1 March, to deliver their entries on Friday, 7 March, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to the MSA's premises at Palazzo de La Salle. All 2D entries, which are accepted for the exhibition, will bear on their back in block letters: a) the full name; b) age, and c) address of the student, d) the title, and e) medium of the entry. They must be ready mounted and/or framed for hanging with D-rings and cord/wire. All 3D entries, which are accepted for the exhibition, will bear on their base in block letters: a) the full name; b) age, and c) address of the student, d) the title, and e) medium of the entry. They must be delivered with their stand and/or plinth; entrants are to provide their own stand and/or plinth. Interested entrants and parents/ guardians are kindly asked to read the National Exhibition of Students' Art 2014 Terms and Conditions. For information with regard to the National Exhibition of Students' Art 2014 kindly contact the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, 219 Republic Street, Valletta, Malta, telephone: 21 244339, E-mail: msaexhibitions@gmail.com. The National Exhibition of Students' Art 2014 is being supported by Valletta Fund Management, Delicata Family Winemaker, Vee Gee Bee Art and Middlesea. Sandro Chetcuti (centre) Chetcuti continued by stating that in his new position he wished the MDA to continue to work to earn the respect of the politicians, professionals and society in general. He wishes to find a balance with environmentalists so that the investment made in property will continue to appreciate so that everyone can benefit. Nexia BT Volunteers Clean Up at Ghajn Znuber within IlMajjistral Park As part of Nexia BT's environmental responsibility campaign, the company organised another clean-up day at the Majjistral Nature and History Park in the north of Malta. Ahead of their Christmas shutdown, over 50 Nexia BT employees dedicated their morning to a major clean-up in Ghajn Znuber. This was organised for the second time, while, in the past, similar clean-ups were held in il-Prajjet. Ghajn Znuber has, unfortunately, suffered at the hands of large-scale dumping for years. As a result, dozens of jerry cans full of burnt oil, hundreds of tiles, many pieces of glass, mattresses and ovens, as well as other types of rubbish, were collected and deposited in the skips provided. "Although we managed to fill three skip in just few hours, this was only the beginning of what could have been achieved if we had had more time," said Nexia BT, managing partner, Brian Tonna. "On that note, we urge the public to always dispose of their rubbish at legal dumpsites and to report any illegal dumping activity." Following on from the activity, the management of Nexia BT thanked all the employees who had attended the event and kept on working despite the adverse weather conditions. Special Inaugural Fund Raising Christmas concert of the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation The BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation held its inaugural fund raising Christmas Concert on the 28th December at the Casino Maltese in Valletta. Joseph Calleja together with Nicola Said, Cliff Zammit Stevens, the St Paul Choral Society and the BOV Joseph Calleja Children's Choir delighted the audience with a two hour programme featuring Christmas songs and other popular arias. The choirs were under the direction of Hugo Agius Muscat. Elisabeth Conrad and Simone Attard accompanied the choirs and the soloists at the piano. Welcoming the benefactors to the concert, Joseph Calleja explained that he co-founded the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation on the 25 October 2013 together with Bank of Valletta and that this concert was the first fund raising activity that was being organised. He highlighted that the Foundation's objectives are twofold. It will seek to provide assistance and support to children coming from difficult social backgrounds and environments, whose situations are not catered for by existing social support programmes. The Foundation will also be engaged in assisting and sup- porting exceptionally talented children in the field of the performing arts, where the children's family situations do not enable them to realise their full potential. It will be working primarily to support children from Malta and Gozo. The BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation is being managed by an independent Board of Trustees and can be contacted by e-mail at info@BOVJosephCallejaFoundation.com. The Foundation is planning to launch its website over the coming weeks "My primary ambition is to eliminate a lot of unnecessary bureaucracy that is stifling. I believe that the MDA can be a key player so that it will assist the government in achieving this. If we are practical and eliminate a lot of time wasting, we can make miracles with this country," he concluded. Joseph Calleja thanks also went to Annalise Falzon and her team for taking regular care of the park and providing the necessary clean-up equipment. About Nexia BT Nexia BT is an audit, tax and advisory firm providing a full range of financial and advisory services to various kinds of organisations. Today, Nexia BT is a leading mid-tier audit firms in Malta, with offices located within the Capital Business Centre in San Gwann. The firm is a member of Nexia International – a top-ten worldwide network of independent business advisors, consultants, auditors and accounting firms present in over 100 countries. Its mission statement is to provide clients with a value-added and personalised service of the highest standard. The firm currently employs over 65 employees, engaged across all of its departments. Nexia BT is an Approved Employer at Platinum Level with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and, in 2012, it was awarded the Equality Mark by the Maltese National Commission for the Promotion of Equality. For more information log on to: www.nexiabt.com