Ramblers’ Association President Lino Bugeja has announced that he will not be contesting this year’s election to the committee.
Bugeja, who turns 80 this week, announced his decision at RAM’s Annual General Meeting at the Hotel Phoenicia last Saturday. By stepping down, he quipped, he would help lower the average age of the committee. Pointing out that even bishops are expected to resign at 75 he thought that it would not be correct of him to stay on any longer.
Association Secretary Alex Vella, speaking on behalf of the committee and members, thanked Mr Bugeja for dedicating the last five years to furthering the objectives of the Association, which he was instrumental in founding in 2005. Having worked side by side with him during this time, Vella said that no one better than he knew the altruistic dedication of Mr Bugeja and assured it was not the usual cliché to state that “his loss will leave a void difficult to fill.”
Mr Vella moved a motion to confer upon Lino Bugeja the title of Honorary President of the Association “ad vitam” which the members present acclaimed unanimously.
The seven members who will make up the new committee of the Association are: Joe Agius, Romano Cassar, Mark de Marco, Saviour Grech, Michiel Paetzel, Josette Sultana, Alex Vella. Two other members under 40 years of age will be co-opted to the committee by the elected members, according to the terms of the new statute.
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