THE MINISTER FOR TOURISM PRESIDES OVER THE LAUNCH OF THE MALTA YEAR BOOK 2001

The first Malta Year Book saw the light of day in 1953, that is, a year before I joined the Humanities Course at what was then still the Royal Malta University. Throughout my adult life I have known and availed myself of a number of editions of the late Brother Leo Barrington's creation.

What would Brother Leo say of today's near seven hundred page volume of closely knit print format which sits equally well with its original forbear, the 200 page first edition, much easier on but less attractive to the ageing eye?

Indeed, did Brother Leo expect that a fellow La Sallian, Brother Hilary Clews, would, on the former's death, pick up the proverbial quill and dedicate thirty two years of his life to compiling one edition after another of his Brother in the Order's brainchild ? Or that today, through natural rather than spiritual brotherhood, the Malta Year Book is entrusted to a member of the Order's extended family, Brother Hilary's brother, Major Stanley Clews?

Continuity is not solely an attribute of this rather particular editorial genealogy but of the publication itself. Every editor has seen The Malta Year Book evolve with the times, that it takes on a more attractive, readable format, and represents a veritable store of knowledge, mainly about Malta and the Maltese, for every day use and as a record for posterity.

The Editorial Board's Chairman has given an overview of the volume's information and statistical content. The reader will also find a number of special articles which makes the Malta Year Book a work of interest rather than just one of reference.

But try as I might I cannot fathom why Brother Martin Borg, Chairman of the Editorial Board, and Major Clews, other than on the ground of personal friendships, have chosen me to preside over the launch of a publication with which I have had nothing to do other than occasionally consult, learn from and enjoy.

Far from querying the honour and privilege of helping to pilot the 2001 publication's first step on its journey towards official and private libraries, local and overseas bookshelves, I must, in turn, on behalf of all who make good use of this store of wisdom and information, thank Brother Martin and Major Clews for making me take a leaf out of Professor Edward de Bono's books of the mind, and delve laterally and vertically into mine in what has been a vain attempt to discover what merits, other than blind friendship, drove them to bestow this undoubted pleasure on me today.

This is a book by persons who take pride in the accuracy and completeness of their work. Whose annual labours give them great returns in satisfaction. Whose aim is to be honest, correct, precise, truthful and above else, factual, and who are all old enough to know that as Jane Austen wrote in "John Knightley", "Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does." and also that, as The Book, says in Timothy I, "The love of money is the root of all evil."

The Malta Year Book is rooted in good. Written and compiled by friends for friends, it is my honour to be here today to wish it God Speed as it begins its journey to spread the word of truth about Malta and the Maltese.