Address by outgoing President Ms Roberta Farrugia Debono
Welcome to the first edition of the MFPA newsletter. As part of the anniversary celebrations we felt it was important to reach out to to the members of the Member Organizations through a newsletter. Through my 12 years of active involvement in the Council of MFPA I have come to know the hard work that is done by MFPA in promoting issues that are of importance for the professional. In the past year, as President, I have learnt more about the beauty of engaging in conversations that celebrate the diversity of the different professions who are still bound together by one overarching theme, good ethical practice. My hope is that through this newsletter you will all come to appreciate more the different facets of professional practice here in Malta and the enormous work that is done by the different organisations as well as MFPA in promoting the well-being of professionals as well as their clients. Something that always impresses me is that all this work is done on a voluntary basis.I believe that the Federation has a very important role in society and see its main role to be the voice of the liberal professional in civil society. It has also the role of putting on the national agenda issues that are of interest both to the professionals themselves as well as the persons who avail themselves of the services of the professional. It promotes good ethical practice at the basis of what constitutes the work of a professional. As I reach my end of my one-year term as President of this organisation, I augur the new Executive Committee, together with the Council, in the Federation’s continuous strive to become more of a stakeholder on the national scene such that the collective expertise is used to promote a better society that is focussed on the well-being of every individual. I conclude by saluting the many Council members of each organisation and MFPA for the relentless hard work that they put in with the utmost commitment and dedication to their profession.
New Executive Committee for MFPA
One of the aims of this newsletter is to provide information about the history of MFPA, information about projects it carried out throughout the years as well as its contribution to society. All this information will be shared in coming issues.The term of the 2020-2021 Executive Committee has come to an end and elections were held during the Annual General Meeting held on 26 April 2021. The new composition of the Executive Committee is as follows:
President Benjamin Rizzo (Malta Institute of Accountants)
Vice-President Administration Ruth Falzon (Malta Association for the Counselling Profession)
Vice-President Membership Saviour Baldacchino (Chamber of Engineers)
Treasurer Demis Cachia (Malta Association of Occupational Therapists)
Secretary Yvonne Midolo (Association of Podiatrists Malta)
With the ever-growing needs of professional voluntary organisations in line with the needs of society, the Council of MFPA has for the first time appointed a Chief Executive Officer to help with the smooth running of the organisation and address its needs more efficiently. Norma Camilleri, from the Association of Speech-Language Pathologists, was appointed in this role.
Chamber of Engineers
Engineers constitute a founding pillar on which the MFPA is built. Back in 1971, the Malta Association of Electrical Engineers was one of the founding members of the MFPA. This engineering organization within the Joint Group of the profession went on to form the Chamber of Professional Engineers in 1975.On 9th June 1978, the Chamber of Engineers (CoE) was officially founded and since then the organization has continued growing and renewing its vision to be recognized as an essential, dynamic engineering organization by contributing in a significant and professional manner to the advancement of our society. After its inception, the CoE has successfully pursued the regulation of the profession through the Engineering Profession Act (Cap. 321) and the formation of the Engineering Profession Warrant and a Code of Ethics. Nowadays, the CoE continues to represent engineers on various relevant for a, providing opportunities to members, organizing conferences and events while advocating the advancement of the profession.
The organization had 15 Presidents through 42 years with the current, Inġ. Malcolm Zammit, having taken office on 3rd March 2021 together with an energized Executive Council. The CoE remains an active member of MFPA, having Inġ. Saviour Baldacchino as Vice-President – Membership who represents the CoE on MFPA Council together with Inġ. Johan Psaila.
The Chamber of Engineers congratulates MFPA and all its member organisations on this 50th Anniversary and anticipates more regeneration and growth in the Association for the benefit of professionals in Malta.
The Dental Association of Malta
The Dental Association of Malta was founded in 1944.This scientific Association is non- political and non-profitable. The main objectives of the Association are to promote the profession of dentistry and maintain, safeguard and honour the interests of the dental profession as well as promoting the ethical conduct of its members.The Association represents its members in relation to the government, insurances, licences as well as other authorities and disciplines. It also collects and preserves dental literature and makes it available to the profession namely through the Dental Journal -The Dental Probe. The editor summarises every DAM lecture for the members in the journal.
In normal times, the Association organises postgraduate lectures regularly for its members as well as social events such as St Apollonia – our feast on February 10th of each year.
The Dental Association has in recent years organised the first ever Council of European Dentists conference in Malta as well as the first Mediterranean Dental Conference.
In 2020 a two-day dental radiography conference was organised. In recent years we have also organised numerous well attended courses on endodontics, implants, restorative dentistry, occlusion. With every eligible course a CPD certificate is provided.
The DAM is a member of the Council of European Dentists, CED, as well as the World Dental Federation, FDI. DAM also has an EU liasion officer who regularly attends meetings abroad on its behalf.
The current multi-talented committee is an eclectic mix of very hard-working dentists who give up their time for their profession.
