A parliamentary delegation from the Victorian State Parliament visited Malta this week and were welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Dr Anġlu Farrugia. The delegation consisted of the Hon Christine Fyffe, the Hon Andrew Elsbury and the Hon Alec Burgess. The three parliamentarians form part of the Interparliamentary Friendship Group between the Parliament of Victoria and that of Malta.
Originally it was hoped that more Australian Labor Party MPs from Victoria would visit Malta as part of this delegation. However, for reasons of a personal nature as well as problems that arose on the domestic political front in Australia, they had to cancel their visit to Malta.
The visit was organised on the initiative of the Australian MPs themselves, as they wished to visit Malta just before the Maltese parliament’s summer recess. They paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker the Hon Dr Anġlu Farrugia. They also visited the President’s Palace, the Armoury of the Knights of St John, as well as the exhibition of the famous Italian painter Mattia Preti, whose many works of art are displayed in various public buildings and churches in Malta.
The Speaker Dr Farrugua hosted a typical Mediterranean lunch in honour of the Australian delegation, who were given the opportunity to taste good local food, such as, bigilla, ravjul (ravioli), braġoli biz-zalza, denċi bil-patata l-forn (fish with roast potatoes), and, of course, washed down with locally produced wine.
At their request, the Victorian MPs were given the opportunity to attend a parliamentary sitting in the House of Representatives. At one point they were also able to talk for a few minutes with Maltese MPs from both sides of the House.
Delegazzjoni Parlamentari minn Victoria żżur Malta
Delegazzjoni ta’ Membri Parlamentari mill-Parlament ta’ Victoria żaret Malta din il-ġimgħa. Il-Membri Parlamentari Awstraljani li marru Malta huma Christine Fyffe, Andrew Elsbury u Alec Burgess. Dawn huma uħud mill-Membri Parlamentari fil-Parlament tal-Istat ta’ Victoria li jagħmlu parti mill-Grupp Interparlamentari ta’ Ħbiberija bejn il-Parlament ta’ Victoria u l-Parlament ta’ Malta.
Fil-ħsieb oriġinali, kien hemm l-idea li jiġu aktar Membri Parlamentari minn dan il-Parlament f’Malta minn naħa tal-grupp parlamentari Laburista Awstraljan. Iżda minħabba raġunijiet ta’ natura personali flimkien ma’ problemi li nqalgħu fuq il-front politiku domestiku fl-Awstralja, dawn ħassru ż-żjara tagħhom f’Malta.
Iż-żjara saret fuq inizjattiva tal-Membri Parlamentari Awstraljani nfushom li xtaqu jżuru Malta ftit qabel ma jxolji l-Parlament Malti għall-vaganzi tas-sajf. Huma għamlu zjara ta’ kortesija lill-Ispeaker l-Onorevoli Anġlu Farrugia, iżda qabel ittieħdu għal żjara bi gwidi professjonali madwar il-Palazz tal-President, u l-Armerija tal-Ordni, kif ukoll il-wirja tal-pittur famuż Taljan Mattia Preti li bosta mix-xogħolijiet tiegħu jinsabu mxerrdin madwar diversi binjiet pubbliċi u knejjes f’Malta.
L-Ispeaker Malti ospita lid-delegazzjoni Awstraljana għal ikla tipikament Mediterranea, fejn il-viżitaturi kellhom ix-xorti jduqu ikel bnin lokali bħal bigilla, ġbejniet, galletti, ravjul, braġoli biz-zalza, denċi bil-patata l-forn, u m’għandniex xi ngħidu kollox imniżżel b’inbid magħsur lokalment.
Fuq talba tal-mistednin, ingħataw l-opportunita’ li jassistu għal seduta parlamentari fil-Kamra tad-Deputati. F’ħin minnhom huma setgħu jitkellmu għal ftit minuti ma’ Membri Parlamentari Maltin miż-żewġ naħat tal-Kamra.