Mr. Camilleri (72) was a former Health Officer. He was a Member of Parliament for the Christian Workers Party during the 1962-1966 legislation.
We met on 4th July 1973 at the residence of his son in Fgura.
‘Our family came from Sicily in 1840 (Camiglieri). It means driver of Camels. My coat of arms is a camel with three stars. My great grandfather came from Zebbug. I was born in a Maltese colony in Corfu. My nationality was Greek. When I was six years and 10 months Bishop Pietro Pace visited the Maltese families in Corfu.and choose three boys in order to make them priests and send them back as missionaries because many Maltese became Greek Orthodox. I was seven years in the seminary but did not become a priest like the other two for personal reasons, I went to New York for more than a year.
In 1921 we had our first self-government and I was in the executive committee of the Labour party. As a government official I was not allowed to go into politics, so I had to leave. In 1960 I got pensioned. Then I received a letter from Father Bilocca to join Pellegrini’s party. I did not answer but later I was asked again by Fr. Bilocca and Archbishop Gonzi, so I joined the CWP and was elected.
In 1966 I was close to being elected. A Nationalist died and I should have taken his place. Borg Olivier put another Nationalist in my place, who did not even contest my district. In 1971 the MLP came for me, Borg Olivier heard it and also asked me to stand as candidate. I refused and gave up politics.
Perhaps Demech wouldn’t have been a heathen now. He had new ideas. In those days a small mistake was made into a big one.
During the Strickland fight there was too much fanatism on both sides.
Gonzi always was a good and sincere friend of the working class. He came from the working class himself. He was an MLP senator, but did not cross over. That was Fr. Bagelli in the lower house, who crossed over to Mizzi.
Boffa was my personal friend and doctor. As president of the Band club of Paola I directed a ceremony of rejoice when he was chosen Prime minister
Pellegrini: His party was founded to contest the MLP. Now he is back in the MLP. You know what I think of him. (Mr. Camilleri did not specify this remark, but his face expressed disapproval; AK)
In Parliament I voted twice against my party. The issues were too important for me at that time.
Mabel: Her days are over.
(About the Maltese Episcopate): Gonzi does not realize he is 88 and that het should give up.
Mgr. Gerada (his father was a pharmacist in Zejtun) has no experience in pastoral work. Here the circumstances are different altogether.
Mgr. Galea is humble, unpretentious and brilliant.’
Mr. Camilleri intended to leave Malta and settle in California. He died in 1979.
(The picture of a camel I put there just for fun. I might replace it with a photo if it becomes available to me; AK)
(originally posted on Facebook 29th July 2023)