The Malta Co-operatives Board and the Central Co-operative Fund recently teamed up to organise the annual dinner for co-operatives at the Hotel Excelsior, Floriana.

For the first time this year, Koperattivi Malta decided to award a prize to the best co-operative and cooperator of the year.

The Co-operator of the Year award was won by Lucienne Camilleri, who has been employed with the Pharmaceuticals Co-operative for the past 15 years.

Ms Camilleri won the award for integrity, excellence, dedication and her ability to see that workers lived and worked in harmony while the co-operative continued to grow and move forward.

The Co-operative of the Year award was won by the Milk Producers Co-operative (KPH). KPH was founded in June 1958 and has 121 members, who are mainly farmers. KPH is the major shareholder of Malta Dairy Products Ltd.

Trophies were also presented the Co-operator and Co-operative of the Year Award runners-up – Gaetano Buttigieg, John Gauci and Anthony Sammut; and Pharmaceutical Services Coop, Rural Manikata Coop, Gozo Lace and Crafts Coop and Koptaco Coaches Coop respectively.

A special trophy was awarded to veteran Romeo Formosa, who has been working with the Co-operative Movement since 1960.

Francis Galea, author of The History Research Co-operatives Malta, also presented a copy of his book to all the winners and finalists.