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MT 29 May 2016

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42 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 MAY 2016 New Senior Manager – People and Culture for Grant Thornton Malta EARLIER in April, Grant Thorn- ton Malta announced that Mi- chael G. Mifsud has joined the organisation in a newly created position, as senior manager of its People and Culture division. This forms part of a greater strat- egy that Grant Thornton Malta is implementing to create dynamic recruitment programmes and ex- ceptional career opportunities in the local audit, corporate and ad- visory sector. Michael has a proven record of success in developing and imple- menting human resources initia- tives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Malta and a Diploma in Human Resource Management from the University of Leicester. His career developed in diverse disciplines and environments such as analyti- cal chemistry, quality assurance and logistics before deciding to focus entirely on human resourc- es management & development, his passion for the past 15 years. Michael worked in established manufacturing industries, FMCG companies, internet gaming and lately in the professional services sector. He is a highly regarded member of the local HR com- munity and thrives in the areas of attracting and selecting talent, employee engagement and corporate culture. "It was a natural choice for me to join Grant Thornton because I could immediately sense the posi- tive and healthy culture emanat- ing from the firm's dynamic team of partners. As Grant Thornton continues to flourish there is a continuous need to attract new and upcoming talent to the firm, namely young people who are in the process of building their pro- fessional career, apart from the recruitment of experienced and already qualified individuals. "I see my mission as one of en- suring that our employees enjoy a best-in-class 'people experience' in all its aspects, because this is the key to consolidating an un- paralleled 'client experience' that ultimately drives the business for- ward. It is a great honour for me to be of service to this long estab- lished firm and to share my expe- riences within a culture of growth based on transformational leader- ship." Michael is father to three chil- dren and enjoys a simple lifestyle while sharing the outcome of his culinary skills with family and friends. New Harley-Davidson bike hits the road SHAPED by nearly 60 years of her- itage and stripped to the essential elements of a pure riding machine, the new Harley-Davidson Roadster motorcycle makes a bold visual statement even when standing still. "Since its introduction in 1957, the Harley-Davidson Sportster has proved capable of constant rein- vention, and the Roadster writes a new chapter in that story," said Harley-Davidson Director of Styl- ing Brad Richards. The Roadster delivers modern performance with a combination of new wheels and tyres mated to premium suspen- sion components contributing to its balanced, athletic stance and an air-cooled 1200cc V-Twin engine that delivers a strong pulse of mid- range torque. Outstanding stopping power is achieved with dual float- ing rotors on the front wheel and ABS brakes are offered as a stand- ard. The Roadster puts its rider in an aggressive posture with a new low-rise handlebar and mid-mount foot controls that centre the rider's weight over the classic profile of the 12.5litre Sportster fuel tank. The cover features a series of pads inspired by an armoured leather jacket, and the rear of the seat is designed as a passenger pillion, to give the Roadster added versatil- ity. The Harley-Davidson Roadster model will be offered in four colour choices. Fapi Motors are the official dis- tributors of the Harley-Davidson brand in Malta. For more informa- tion you can visit our showroom in Attard, e-mail us on info@h-dmal- ta.com or call on 2339 3102 The Alter Aqua Programme celebrates World Water Day 2016 ALTER Aqua has made a signifi- cant impact throughout 2011- 2015 in the Maltese Islands, in promoting the use of non conven- tional water resources (NCWR), such as rainwater harvesting, stormwater management, grey- water recycling and treated wastewater reuse, as a sustainable way to increase water availabil- ity and adapt to climate change at local level. The program was initiated by the regional organi- sation Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and implemented in partnership with the Ministry for Energy & Health, the Sustainable Energy & Water Conservation Unit, the Ministry for Gozo, the Eco-Gozo Project and The Coca-Cola Foundation with the support of the Coca-Cola System in Malta (The Coca-Cola Company & GSD Marketing Ltd). Its funding is primarily based on a $1,140,000 Coca-Cola Founda- tion Grant, plus $440,000 co- funding by the Ministry for Gozo. In this framework, the Pro- gramme has implemented sig- nificant green infrastructure works, including the installation or reinstatement of 11 rainwater harvesting systems throughout Gozo, at public school buildings, the Gozo Experimental Farm and the Ministry for Gozo; the instal- lation of 3 greywater recycling systems at the Gozo Football Sta- dium, the Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST) and the Helen Keller Resource Centre; the reinstatement of a stormwater retention application at Ramla Valley in Gozo. One further greywater recycling sys- tem is currently being installed at the Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex National Swimming Pool, Gzira, Malta. The estimated amount of wa- ter annually collected and re- used, from all green infrastruc- ture works implemented within Alter Aqua between 2011-2015 amounts to 16.7 million litres, an equivalent of the monthly water consumption of 1,000 families in Malta. Apart from the contri- bution to the local water budget, what is more important is the demonstration effect. A number of different technologies, at dif- ferent scales and in various public facilities are showcased - many of them innovative and pioneering for the Maltese Islands. By select- ing highly frequented as well as landmark public buildings and areas for NCWR applications, ac- cessible to the general public, it allows insights on their specifici- ties and benefits and enables their adoption at domestic, community and national level. For example, the application of a greywater recycling sytem in MCAST, coupled with a green roof, apart from reusing the grey- water – which became a resource instead of waste-it offers the ben- efits of a green roof: greener, cool- er and pleasant environement. Moreover, it serves educational purposes as both the students in the water related technologies study the process but also biology and biodiversity students assess the greywater recycling potential for green roof irrigation and the green roofs' effect on the micro- climate. In a different context, collecting run-off water at the Ministry for Gozo's reservoir pre- vents f looding while it provides water for landscaping and new forestation projects. Application of greywater systems in sports facilities, like in the Gozo Fot- ball Stadium and the Tal-Qroqq Swimming Pool, set a paradigm of how greywater generated from showers can be recycled for toilet f lushing and landscaping. In this direction, the Alter Aqua Programme has contributed to advancing the use the non con- ventional water resources, as re- f lected in the New Water Man- agement Plan for the Maltese Islands, while it has supported the Ministry for Gozo's Sustain- able Development Action Plan, as implemented in the framework of the ecoGozo project. Going beyond the infrastruc- ture works, Alter Aqua has made a significant investment in instill- ing the values of sustainable water management to the next genera- tion, training teachers and tech- nicians, building the local author- ities' capacities, raising awareness on critical water challenges and the use of NCWR to address wa- ter scarcity and climate change, as well as promoting policy dia- logue at local and national level. To date, 10,358 students have participated in hands-on educa- tional activities for sustainable development in schools, while 926 teachers have been trained and provided with the Alter Aqua Resource Pack & Educational Ma- terial, for which the Programme received a STENCIL Award for the most innovative science-re- lated educational resources in Eu- rope in 2013. Moreover, the Alter Aqua Video Game was developed to educate school students on the use of NCWR and water saving in everyday life. For its holistic approach, achievements, everyday impact of the lives of more than 39,000 Mal- tese citizens, and provision of sus- tainable, practical solutions to be replicated elsewhere in the world, Alter Aqua received the second global award, as a water showcase at the 7th World Water Forum in Korea last year. You can find more about the Alter Aqua Programme on the website and facebook page and at Gozo Water, a website developed to feature the stories of Gozo peo- ple benefiting from programme. Over 100 Restaurants Awarded the Malta Tourism Authority Quality Assured Seal THE second edition of the MTA Quality Assured restaurant awards was held on Tuesday, 24 May. This year, 36 restaurants were awarded the seal for the first time, whilst 70 were con- firmed from the first intake, bringing the total number of Quality Assured restaurants up to 106. During the event, the MTA Chairman, Dr. Gavin Gulia, to- gether with the MTA CEO, Paul Bugeja, presented seven awards, six of which were based on the results of the mystery guest visits organised by the MTA through- out the year, whilst the other award, sponsored by Review Pro, was for best customer feedback based on over 13,500 customer reviews, covering all Quality As- sured restaurants. All participating restaurants were assessed by means of a mystery guest who followed set criteria covering service, hospi- tality, food, ambience, as well as other areas. While the QA seal itself is valid for a two-year pe- riod with an interim visit, the special awards are valid for a one year period. The aim of the QA seal is to encourage best practice and rec- ognise those establishments that consistently deliver a quality product. The criteria are updated regu- larly to ensure continuous im- provement across all areas; two examples of new restaurant cri- teria for 2016 are the inclusion of a criterion requiring a minimum of 30% or 20 bottles of wine from locally grown grapes available at all QA restaurants, as well as one covering compulsory training on first aid. The QA seal aims to assist cus- tomers in making informed de- cision about the best places to eat on the Maltese Islands. The QA seal is supported by the Min- istry for Tourism, the MHRA and Marsovin. The awards went to the follow- ing: Best in Class Award 1. De Mondion 2. Brookies 3. Diar il Bniet Best Service and Hospitality Award 1. Medina Restaurant 2. Commando Restaurant 3. Diar il Bniet Customer Feedback Award (sponsored by Review Pro) 1. Lovage Bistro To view the Quality Assured es- tablishments or to find out more on this voluntary scheme, we invite you to visit our dedicated website www.qualityassured- malta.com

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