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JANUARY 2003

Visit to the President of the Republic: We began the new year on the 1st with a visit to the President of the Republic, Prof. Guido de Marco, at his palace in Valletta. Dr Mark Montebello and George Busuttil, Director and Secretary of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl respectively paid a visit to the President and Mrs De Marco on behalf of the organisation. On their part, the President and Mrs De Marco reciprocated warmly to the good wishes we expressed.

Meetings at the prisons: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl resumed its meetings with prisoners, begun in December 1995, through the new year. We started meeting the female prisoners from the 2nd onwards, and the male prisoners from the 7th onwards. Every Thursday our volunteers visited the Female Section between 9.30 am and 11.30 am, and every Tuesday the Male Sections between 4.30 pm and 7.00 pm.

Administrative meetings: The administration of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl began to meet regularly every Tuesday evening as from the 2nd onwards. All meetings are held at our centre at Dar it-Tama, Cospicua. The meetings are held between 8.00 pm and 10.00 pm. The members of the Steering Committee at the beginning of the year were the following:

Commission for the Floriana Centre: According to a decision taken by the Board of Daritama on December 30, 2002, the Commission responsible for the purchase and renovation of the organisation's new centre at Floriana met on the 2nd. A plan of action was decided upon.

Family Support Group: For another year running, the activities for prisoners' families resumed on the 3rd with a Christmas party at our centre at Cospicua. On the other hand, the support meetings resumed on the 17th. These meetings are held at the Workers' Memorial Building at Valletta. The meetings, organised by the organisation's section for Prisoners' Families and Victims, are held between 6.30 pm and 8.00 pm.

Sunday writings: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's regular write-up column in the widely read newspaperIt-Torca continued into the new year with the first issue appearing on the 5th.

Nigerian community: For the better coordination of our work with Nigerian prisoners held in Malta, on the 8th Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl met the President of the Nigerian Community in Malta, Chris Simm Etun. Possibilities of cooperation and mutual support were discussed.

Meeting with the President: For the second time in just a couple of weeks, representatives of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl had a formal meeting with H. E. the President of the Republic, Prof. Guido de Marco, at the Presidential Palace, Valletta. This meeting was held on the 13th. Various points of common interest were discussed, particularly Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's Victim Support Malta project.

St Dismas Centre: On the 15th the agreement for the purchase of a premises at Floriana was signed before Notary Joseph Debono of Luqa. In this way, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl took the decisive step to establish the new centre dedicated to St Dismas. The centre shall be used for different activities and projects of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. According to a structure-plan worked out by Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, the organisation shall be able to use the premises in a year's time.

Meeting with MIC: In order to inform itself better on the impact the European Union will have on the situation of prisoners in case Malta joins, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl met a representative of the Malta Information Centre on EU matter on the 22nd. Dr Mark Montebello and Frank Cachia, for Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, met Elene Cordina of MIC. The conclusion that ensued from the discussion was that, in relation to prisoners, nothing substantial from what already exists or may exist shall change in case of Malta joins the European Union. Two are the reasons: first, the changes needed could already have been made under the current provisions of the United Nations and/or the Council of Europe; and second, with Malta joining the European Union, the areas where changes are needed shall remain just the same under the responsibility and discretion of the government of Malta. In case of Malta joining the Union, than, the EU shall not be able to oblige the government of Malta of the Maltese Courts to alleviate the prisoners from what currently afflicts them

New Acting Director at the Prisons: Inspector of Police, Sandro Gatt, was officially appointed Acting Director of the prisons on the 28th, succeeding Inspector Neville Aquilina, who retained the position since October 2002. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl had good reasons to be very grateful to Mr Aquilina, who succeeded in reversing the negative atmosphere of the prison authorities in relation to Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. At the same time, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl welcomed joyfully the appointment of Mr Gatt, who has great respect for the organisation and its work with prisoners and their families.

Entrance into Juvenile Section: A meeting was held between Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl and Acting Director of the prisons, Sandro Gatt, in the presence of ex-Acting Director Neville Aquilina, about the possibility of the members of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl resuming their visits to the Juvenile Section. Joanne Battistino, the Director of the Juvenile Section, did not attend due to health reasons. The meeting was intended to end a four year prohibition in which Prison Director Emmanuel Cassar refused Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl from visiting the youth section. Mr Gatt promised to do all he could to end the prohibition. To this effect, he pledged to take up the matter with the ministerial authorities, to grant their final confirmation on the change desired.

Entrance in Prison Divisions: On Tuesday, 28th, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl received the marvelous news that, a fortnight before, the Acting Director, Neville Aquilina, had ordered that the regular meetings of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl with the male prisoners shall not be held any more on a collective basis, but by way of visits to the individual divisions themselves where prisoners have their cells. Although the members of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl were (typically) not informed of the decision if not a few minutes before entering the divisions for the first time on the 28th at 4.30 pm, as usual, they welcomed the news with great joy. This was probably the most significant occurrence for Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl since the member of the organisation entered the prisons for the first time in December 1995. The main reason given by the authorities for this change was that the collective meetings of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl in the prisons were attracting, according to the estimates of the prison authorities themselves, an average of 80 prisoners at a time, and without officials present. This was evidently a security risk the authorities wished not to take anymore. On their part, the majority of the prisoners welcomed the news with joy, as did all the other members of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. A good fortune indeed!

Entrance into Juvenile Section: Another meeting was held with the intent of paving the way to Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's entrance into the Juvenile Section. This was on the 30th with Joanne Battistino, Director of the Juvenile Section. The meeting dealt with the logistical matters that had to come into effect once the green light is given for the lifting of the three-year prohibition.

FEBRUARY 2003

Visit to Libya: Dr Mark Montebello, Director of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, George Busuttil, Secretary, and Frank Cachia, PRO, visited prisoners' families in Libya from the 7th till the 12th. Most of the foreign prisoners in Malta are Libyan, and this visit was intended to strengthen the relationship of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl with some of them. During the weeks before the visit, the Libyan prisoners were asked to notify Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's volunteers during their weekly visits in the prisons if they wished their families to have a visit from us. Some of them did. The visit to Libya was a positive experience.

MARCH 2003

Entrance into Juvenile Section: Notwithstanding the positive signs shown in the previous weeks, Sandro Gatt, Acting Director of the Prisons, informed Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl that the Ministry of Home Affairs did not grant its permission to lift the three-year prohibition for Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl to resume visits at the Juvenile Section. The bad news, which was communicated on the 4th, reacted a formal protest from Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl to the Minister of Home Affairs, Tonio Borg.

Memorandum: For the occasion of the General Election to be held on April 12, during the second week of the month Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl issued a memorandum to all political parties and to the press. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl appealed that the prisons should be a place of therapy that serves society. It encouraged the new government to work for this noble ideal.

Weekend Meeting: From Friday the 14th till Sunday the 16th all volunteers of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl attended a three-day seminar organised by Daritama at St Paul's Bay. The seminar was organised jointly by Jamie Degabriele, the Responsible for Members, and Fr Louis Sapiano, our Researcher. The special guest present, invited to address those present, was Godfrey Grima, a Maltese journalist with The Financial Times. The seminar was a great success. The participants had the opportunity to review together the current situation around the world and in Malta, together with our own projects in service of others.

Electoral Programmes: At the end of March, the two major political parties in Malta approved their electoral programmes for the coming General Elections on April 12. The programme presented by the Nationalist Party was rather succinct, and declared only that "the prisons shall become ever more a real 'corrective facility'". On the other hand, the programme presented by the Malta Labour Party made seven proposals for the prisons, three of which were taken directly from the memorandum presented by Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl a few weeks before (see above). These three proposals concerned the Prison Board of Visitors, the cleansing of the prisons from corruption and drugs, and the voluntary groups that visit the prisons. In the sphere of justice, while the electoral programme of the Nationalist Party proposed nothing, that of Malta Labour Party promised a reduction in the court fees, and better legal aid t those assigned with a lawyer by the courts.

Political invitation: The Director and Secretary of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl were invited by the Malta Labour Party to meet the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Alfred Sant, at the Radisson Hotel, St George's, on the 28th. The General Director of Daritama, Joseph Schembri, was also invited. All accepted the invitation. The occasion was a cordial one.

APRIL 2003

Anniversary: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl is 8 years old. It was born on April 10th, 1995, in Division 8 of the prisons, a division since then demolished. The members celebrated this anniversary quietly. No public celebration is usually organised to mark this occasion, and the tradition this year was kept. It is planned that in 2005, when the organisation will be 10 years old, a proper programme will be set up with appropriate celebrations.

General Elections: The General Elections of the 12th gave an electoral victory to the Nationalist Party. Three days later, on the 15th, the Prim Minister, Dr Edward Fenech Adami, called a new cabinet. Dr Tonio Borg, who was Minister of Home Affairs and the Environment, was appointed Minister of Justice and Home Affairs. The former Minister of Justice, Dr Austin Gatt, was appointed Minister of Technology. Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici was appointed Parliamentary Secretary In the same Ministry of Dr Borg. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl sent messages of congratulations to Dr Fenech Adami, to Dr Borg and also to Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

Foundation Daritama: Though founded in 1995, Daritama still did not have a legal personality. This was done on the 28th with the signing of the Act of Foundation before Notary Dr Elena Farrugia. The new foundation is under the custody of three trustees: George Busuttil, Ivan Cauchi and Joseph Schembri. The latter was also formally appointed the foundation's first Director General.

MAY 2003

Meeting with Parliamentary Secretary: A meeting intended to instill friendship and cooperation was held on the 8th between Dr Mark Montebello, Director of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, and the newly-appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. The meeting was held at the Ministery of Home Affairs, Santa Venera. Though appointed for the first time for a post within this Ministery, Lawyer Dr Mifsud Bonnici is not a new face in the sphere of criminal justice. He is also from Cospicua, with which Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl has a special relationship through Daritama. The meeting was very cordial and encouraging. A basis was laid for further collaboration in the future.

Talk on Crime: Dr Mark Montebello, Director of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, was invited to give a talk on young people and crime during a meeting organised by Educafè in Valletta on the 13th. Dr Montebello talked about parents' need to educate and inform their children about the processes of the criminal justice system since most of them will be involved with some juvenile delinquency and some soft drugs. Children and youngsters have to be prepared in the eventuality of being arrested or summoned for questioning by the police. The talk was very much appreciated.

Official Visit: Following the meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs (see above), Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Parliamentary Secretary in that Ministry, accepted an invitation to visit Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl at its centre in Cospicua on the 20th. During the official visit, Dr Mifsud Bonnici took part in a formal meeting of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. Afterwards, he met the other volunteers of Daritama. The visit was cordial and friendly. All appreciated the new warm relationship with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

New Administrative Structure: The structural renovation of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, which was initiated in September 2002, came to an end on the 27th with the coming into force of a new internal structure. This renovation is intended, not only to organise better Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's current responsibilities, but also to make it more possible that the organisation develops and grows further. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl consolidated its two main sections, one to deal with matters related to prisoners, and the other with matter of the families of prisoners. The first is under the direction of Tania Caruana; the second under the direction of Jamie Degabriele.

JUNE 2003

Meeting with the Minister: After an estrangement of more than two years, Dr Mark Montebello for Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, and the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg, met at the Ministery of Home Affairs, Santa Venera, on the 12th. This was rather a reunion. In the two-year period, due to various public clashes and private misunderstandings, both sides burnt their bridges with each other. At this meeting, fortunately, some bridges started to be rebuilt. The 46-minute meeting, in fact, was on a very cordial note with the two sides deciding and pledging to turn a new page. A new sense of cooperation was instilled.

New publication: At the beginning of the month Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl issued a new publication in Maltese: Daphne or You Defend Criminals!, by Dr Mark Montebello, Director of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. The booklet is the third number in Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's series Philosophy of Personalism. The publication answers some objections, or accusations, generally brought against Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl.

New volunteers: On the 27th a meeting was held for the volunteers who, having completed the initial course organised in the first quarter of the year, wished to continue working with Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. Thirteen new volunteers opted to continue. The meeting was held at Marsascala. The new volunteers shall be part of the two main sections of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl (prisoners' families/prisoners).

JULY 2003

Barbeque: A lively Barbeque was organised by the Families' Section of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl for prisoners' families. This was held at Qui-Si-Sana, Sliema (by the cool, fresh sea, obviously), on the 4th. The activity was well attended. We all had a good swim, and shared roasted foods and cool drinks. A precious moment of friendship.

Christmas Campaign Money: The first payment ensuing from the Christmas campaign organised by One Productions towards the end of last year, consisting of about Lm7,000 (€16,400), was received by Daritama on the 8th. This represents 75% of the final sum to be received after Maltacom and One Productions deducted between them some Lm5,000 (€11,700) organisational charges.

Purchase of new premise: The contract concluding the purchase of the premise at Floriana was signed on the 10th. This was done at the central office of APS Bank at Floriana before Notary Joseph Debono of Luqa. The new premise, renamed St Dismas Centre, is intended to function as a centralized meeting-place for Daritama, and particularly for Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl. The centre shall also house the administrative offices of Victim Support Malta.

Meeting with Drug Prevention Director: The family support group met Sina Bugeja, the Director of Sedqa, the drug and alcohol prevention agency of the government of Malta. The meeting was held on the 18th, at one of the regular meetings of the support group. Bugeja answered the many questions that the families of prisoners put to her.

Official Visit of Minister: The Minister of Justice and Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg, accepted Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's invitation and made an official visit at Dar it-Tama, Cospicua, on the 29th. The Parliamentary Secretary, Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, accompanied the Minister. The meeting was a very cordial one, and very relaxed. The official visit ended two years of "estrangement" between the two sides. Both the Minister and Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl admitted to having made mistakes during the past that brought up walls of division. These walls have finally come down, and the two sides pledge cooperation in their common commitment for prisoners and victims of crime. Various members of Daritama and Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl attended for the occasion. During the visit Dr Borg officially inaugurated this web site.

AUGUST 2003

Fund-raising activity: Bronk Productions, a company of local artists, offered Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl two evenings of entertainment in aid of the organisation. The activities were held on the 1st and 2nd of the month at Cafè Riche, Vittoriosa.

Meeting with President: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl representatives once more met the President of the Republic, Prof. Guido Demarco, at the Presidential Palace, Valletta, on the 26th. This was the third meeting of the organisation with the President this year. During the meeting matters of common interest were discussed, especially ways in which the President offered to assist the organisation most tangibly.

SEPTEMBER 2003

Entrance in Division XI: On the 2nd the volunteers started to visit the newly-built Division XI.

Annual General Meeting: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's Annual General Meeting met at Marsascala on the 16th. Those present made a review of the work done during 2002/2003, and planned for the following year 2003/2004. The meeting tackled various standing problems, and proposed relative solutions. No significant structural changes were made. Anthony Cachia was appointed Responsible for the International Desk instead of Frank Cachia, whose current personal commitments make it impossible for him to carry out tasks in this sector. All other responsibilities were duly confirmed. Anthony Cachia is a student of law at the University of Malta.

Prison Director: On the 16th, Police Inspector Sandro Gatt was officially appointed Director the Corradino Correctional Facility, Paola, and Director of Malta's Correctional Services, by the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg. Mr Gatt has been Acting Director since January 28th.

Working Commission: On the 23rd a commission was established in order to work on a special assignment in relation to the local prisons. Dr Mark Montebello, George Busuttil, Frank Cachia, and Anthony Cachia were appointed members of the commission.

Daritama General Meeting: The Annual General Meeting of Foundation Daritama was held at Marsascala on the 28th. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl presented its annual report, and its plans for the coming year.

OCTOBER 2003

Meeting with Human Rights Commissioner: On the 19th, representatives of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl met the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Alvaro Gil-Robles, at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl presented some points for the Commissioner's consideration. The meeting was held before the beginning of Mr Gil-Robles' official visit to Malta on the 20th and 21st. The Commissioner visited Malta's Corradino prisons on the 21st. His official report shall be published by the end of the year.

Work at Floriana Centre: On the third week of the month, from the 13th onwards, work on Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's new centre at Floriana began by a turn-key contractor. The centre, which shall house Victim Support Malta, should be made ready for use in December.

NOVEMBER 2003

Operation Analysis: Representatives of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl visited London for an operation analysis in relation to the setting up of Victim Support Malta. Dr Mark Montebello, Ivan Cauchi, and Joseph Ellul, were abroad from the 31st of October till the 8th of November. During their visit, they met representatives of Citizens Advice, and Victims Support. They visited the London Regional Office of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, the Kensington Bureau, Tunbridge Wells (Kent), Wormwood Shrubs Prison, and the Royal Courts of Justice.

Meeting with the EPEA: On the 20th, representatives of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl were invited by Mr Anthony Vella and Mr Joseph Giordmaina, Coordinators from the Faculty of Education of the University of Malta for the Educational Programme at the Corradino Prisons, to meet representatives of the European Prison Education Association (EPEA). The meeting was held at the University of Malta. Dr Mark Montebello and Ms Tania Caruana met some twenty-five educationists coming from six different European countries. Dr Montebello and Ms Caruana are also teachers at the Corradino Prisons.

Public Meeting & Exhibition: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's 2003 Public Meeting was held on the 21st at St James Chavalier, Valletta. It was a successful well-organised multi-disciplinary experience. Amongst the special guests were the Hon. Minister of Justice and Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg, and the Prison Director, Mr Sandro Gatt. The meeting was well-attended by the pubic, especially by prisoners' relatives and journalists. After the meeting, the Hon. Minister inaugurated an exhibition presenting works of art created by the prisoners themselves, an initiative that attracted considerable interest, especially by the press. The exhibition was open to the public until the 30th. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's address at the Public Meeting concerned the management system at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

DECEMBER 2003

University Lecture: On the 1st, Dr Mark Montebello delivered a lecture at the University of Malta to psychology students reading a course on inclusive communities organised by Agenzija Support. Dr Montebello gave a philosophical interpretation to crime causation, and explained what he called the "vortex of humiliation" that engrosses the lives of many a prisoner.

Radio programme: The private radio station RTK took the initiative to present a programme as a follow-up of the organisation's public meeting held a few weeks earlier. On the 6th, Fr Joe Borg and Dr George Vella discussed whether prison is simply a waste of time. Ivan Cauchi, the organisation's coordinator took part in the radio programme.

Distribution of L-ARKA: The organisation's bi-monthly newsletter, L-ARKA, began to be distributed personally by hand, instead of collectively by post, to prisoners and correctional officers within the prisons as from the 16th onwards. This system, which is more effective and economical, began to be used by permission of the prison Director, Mr Sandro Gatt. The personal distribution began to made use of from the 16th onwards.

New Head for Prisoners' Section: Following the resignation of Tania Caruana as Head of the Prisoners' Section of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl for personal reasons, Tonio Cachia, the former secretary of the section, was appointed to the post. Sue Ann Beiruty was appointed secretary, and Stephanie Chetcuti as the official responsible for prisoners' individual cases.

Media participation: The organisation was asked to give its contribute to the special Christimas editions of various local newspapers. Mr Stanley Borg of The Times, Charles Spiteri of In-Nazzjon, and Denise Gatt of Il-Gens, prepared features for their respective papers dealing with Christmas at the prisons. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl was asked to contribute in every one of the features, two of them even with a short essay written (with due permission) by the prisoners themselves.

Community Chest Fund: During a ceremony at the Presidential Palace on the 19th, the organisation was presented with a handsome grant by the President of the Republic, Prof. Guido Demarco. This was the first of a series of donations that the Malta Community Chest Fund is granting the organisation in its effort to create Victim Support Malta. During the ceremony Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl was represented by Joe Ellul, the organisation's Official for Sources of Income.

Christmas Cards: As in the former years, the organisation took the initiative to distribute a personalised christmas card to each and every prisoner in Malta. This had to be done on the 19th. However, the endemic disorganisation at the prisons prevented that this simple but significant act of love be fulfilled to the full. To cut a long story short, the cards had to be sent to each prisoner unpersonalised, and in a ripped up envelope (which some officials insisted on checking individually). In former years the names of prisoners were written by the volunteers according to a complete list provided by the prison authorities. But this was not made available this time. Fortunately, well used to such hitches, the prisoners understood that something wrong must have happened, and appreciated just the same the cards and the thought behind it. The card showed an Israeli soldier guarding two humiliated Palestinian semi-nude prisoners, with the words "... and peace on earth to man of good will". On the inside the writing said: "We wish you a good will".

Working meeting: On Sunday, the 21st, the organisation's volunteers gathered at Mount St. Joseph, Mosta, for an afternoon business meeting concentrating especially on the logistics of Victim Support Malta. The gathering worked fruitfully on various aspects of the complex project, and made some important policy decisions. An "Operational Commission" was formed—made up of the organisation's Director, the Coordinator, Secretary, and the two Heads of Sections—to review and make further operational decisions.

Information System: The first meeting for the building up of an information system for Victim Support Malta was held on the 26th. The main officials of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl met the person responsible of the job. An information system began to be planned in all of its minutest details.

National Fund-raising Campaign: An annual grand national TV fund-raising 12-hour Campaign—L-Istrina—was put on the air by all the major TV stations in Malta (PBS, Super 1, and Net) on Saturday, 27th. The Campaign was organised by the commercial company Where's Everybody. By way of agreement, decided in November by a special board headed by Magistrate Abigail Padovani Grima, the foundation Daritama (of which Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl is a part) benefited 1.25% of the funds collected. This donation was given under the condition that it be used for the training of personnel working with Victim Support Malta. Many volunteers of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl took an active part in the 12-hour campaign as helpers. More than a million Maltese liri was collected (over two million Euros) during the exhilarating evening.

Female Party: A party was organised by Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl at the Female Section of Paola's prisons. As always, after overcoming the initial shyness, the ice was quickly broken, and the atmosphere became warm and jolly. All participated in the merrymaking, including the correctional officers present. The party was held in the afternoon on Sunday, the 28th. Unfortunately, a similar party at the Juvenile Section was denied by the prison authorities.

Rap concert: Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl took an initiative that was very much desired by the prisoners: with due permission of the prison authorities, they organised a concert at the prisons of a popular Maltese Rap singer. This was on the 29th. The prisoners were simply out of themselves with pleasure. Some even danced to the cheers of all those present. The young singer—called simply Hooligan—sang for half an hour. He was visibly moved by the experience. Some of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's volunteers accompanied the singer, and followed the show. It was truly a most wonderful event.

Courtesy Visit by Director: Mr Sandro Gatt, who is the Head of the Correctional Department within the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, and also the prison Director, paid a visit to Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl's operational centre at Cospicua. This was in the evening on the 30th. Most volunteers were present for the occasion, and attended a warm meeting with the Director. During the meeting, to the evident joy of all those present, Mr Gatt announced that the four-year prohibition of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl to enter the Juvenile Section was being lifted with immediate effect. Afterwards, a brief and extremely fruitful business meeting was held between the Mr Gatt and the organisation's Director, Coordinator and Secretary. The Director enjoyed the occasion as much as all the volunteers. The discussion on the further co-operation between the prison authorities and Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl was enormously encouraging.

End of Year Celebration: On the last day of the year, on the evening of the 31st, volunteers of Daritama gathered at Marsascala for an appropriate celebration in gratitude for the past year, and in expectation of the new year. A special mass was said, and then a large supper was held with all types of goodies (hmmm!). Finally, they enjoyed themselves at an hilarious party until the small hours of the new year.