• email article
  • print article
  • small text sizemedium text sizelarge text size
  • comment on this article

Ending a 43-year career

Video: Mark Zammit Cordina

From dealing with the controversial closure of a dog sanctuary in Manoel Island to the handling of the Naxxar fireworks explosion, the former head of the Civil Protection Department Peter Cordina talks about various episodes in his 43-year-long career that started in 1967 with the police force.

Mr Cordina speaks to Kurt Sansone about his love for the uniform that saw him move from the police to the army to head of prisons until his last job heading the Civil Protection Department since it was first set up set up in 2000.

Retiring from active service a couple of weeks ago after reaching 61, Mr Cordina describes his time as Prison Director as a learning experience. He agrees with parole and insists inmates must be given a chance to reform.

Mr Cordina’s full interview appears in The Sunday Times today.

  • Google Bookmarks Del.icio.us Facebook Blogger YahooMyWeb Digg Reddit Stumbleupon
  • email article
  • print article
  • small text sizemedium text sizelarge text size
  • comment on this article

Comments

simon cutajar(on 9/2/10)
I wish to congratulate Mr. Cordina for his retirment and thank him for what he've done while he was in service for the country . I meet him several times at the place of work and he's a truly loyal friend . Congratulations again Mr. Cordina .
laurence schembri(on 9/2/10)
Yes Franco, beside the Vets and Peter Cordina I was there too, to salvage what was left, a healthy beautiful alsatian was put to sleep, the owners where away on a week holiday.
I hold nothing against Peter, but the Vet (I will not name him) should have known better.
Closed sad chapter.
Pule' Carmel(on 8/2/10)
In desperation to "Protect" the people of Qormi and Marsa, I eventually decided to ask the editor of the Times to publish the photographs , where out of two he normally choses one Showing the blockage of the two of the four galleries under Aldo moro road. The Times seems to be my only opening year in year out, to encourage the authorities to clean the Qormi/ Marsa floodwater channel, and it takes them normally TWO months after the september rains!! when it could be too late.
I suggested the joining of the 48 columns in the floodwater channel supporting Aldo Moro road,(also dismantling DRAINAGE obstructions) and this was successfully done, minimising flooding. As individual colums,These used to hold a lot of debris and at the Albert Town bridge where the bridge supporting columns are still existing individually, these are far from contributing to "PROTECT" the people of Qormi and Marsa.
I think any establishment which carries "PROTECTION" in its title should act BEFORE the disasters and not only to RESCUE, REPAIR< REHABILATE< and what is more, even "CURE" after the disasters seem to come in fits and starts, and never complete as suggested by many experts over the years.
Pule' Carmel(on 8/2/10)
I wish Mr. Cordina a happy retirement and I am sure that he can still help many departments with his vast experiences. I wish to point out however, that there were three occasions where I personally approached the department of Civil Protection and the POLICE and the Refuse Disposal Emergency unit,( at night) to assist in “Protecting” the people of Qormi and Marsa, prior to any floods, when I observed that the floodwater channel from Qormi to Marsa was full of debris and there was the possibility of flooding as in15-17th Sept 2003. I even supplied photographs of debris jamming the tunnels under Aldo Moro Road and also the Galleries under the Albert Town Bridge. To be honest I did not know where to go, and I thought the Civil Protection would be the people to help and I delivered the photographs by Hand to the main office. I was a little disappointed at the reaction I got and I concluded that the Department would better miss out the PROTECTION part in the title and retain the RESQUE, REPAIR and REHABILITATION as the service, after the floods, was excellent
Franco Farrugia(on 8/2/10)
Indeed, Mr Flask. Indeed. I wasn't happy either that Mr Cordina chose to broach this subject again. There are various points of view about this 'massacre' and Mr Cordina would have done well to keep this can of worms tightly closed. It appears,however, that there's a vet around who likes to write off animal lives at the stroke of a pen!
Ludwig Flask(on 7/2/10)
...Manoel Island Dog Massacre, is this the one relating to the 14th March 1996? Well its 2 to tango, thus it would be very interesting hearing another opinion!

Poll

Do you agree that the state should introduce financial assistance to make private schools more affordable?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Don't know
  • Dont't care


View results

Fun Stuff


Play Sudoku