Y different

versity, one particular trip I’ll never forget was when we had collected a truckload of stationery to personally deliver to Maltese nuns running a school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. And, later on in life, I have continuously been involved in philanthropic initiatives, particularly through my association with the Birkirkara Football Club which, in itself, was all work on a voluntary basis.

What is the favourite place you have visited outside Malta, and why?

Tortuguero Beach in Costa Rica, which I visited – as a student, travelling on a shoestring budget. This is a unique place where the endangered green turtles go to lay their eggs – a miracle of nature in itself.

Where would you like to visit but have not yet had the opportunity to do so and why?

Papua New Guinea, which is one of the most remote places on earth and which, infamously, had the last tribe of cannibals known to history.

What was the most boring gift you have ever received?

Wallets: I don’t use them.

Do you know how to cook?

Absolutely not, but according to my son I can manage the best egg on toast in the world.

What is your favourite dish?

This is a tough one. My wife is an amazing cook and she conjures up the most exquisite pasta dishes you can imagine. The one with sundried tomatoes and fresh prawns is a big favourite.

Do you play any instruments?

As a child I used to play the piano.

Describe a typical relaxing day

I’m struggling to remember the last one I had. However, my family’s annual refuge in the Swiss Alps comes to mind.

Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Black tea in the morning, espressos during the day.

Do you prefer to wear shorts, trousers or jeans?

Jeans, any day.

Do you prefer summer or winter?

Winter, particularly wild stormy nights.

Choose a female MP you would ask to have dinner with you

Margaret Thatcher – alive. if she was still

What is your favourite film or TV series?

Braveheart: I’ve seen it nine times and counting...

With whom would you prefer to be stranded on a desert island?

McGyver – the only hope of getting us off alive.