Executive Committee

Vicki Ann Cremona took an active position in civil society following the horrific murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and joined Repubblika at the time it was being formed. She served as President of a Repubblika in 2019-20. She believes in the rule of law and democratic rights of all and is against all forms of oppression or discrimination. A professor at the University of Malta, she also worked as Ambassador to Malta in France and Tunisia (2005-2013). She wrote, edited and translated internationally published articles and books, including “Carnival and power: play and politics in a Crown Colony” (Palgrave Macmillan 2018).

With a background in PR, event organisation and project management particularly in theatre, Paula Fleri-Soler’s activism was prompted by the brutal assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on that fatal day in October 2017. She joined the women of #occupyjustice at the beginning of the movement and was invited to join the Repubblika committee at the beginning of the Organisation in January 2019. Since then she has served as treasurer.

Alessandra Dee Crespo has a background in theology, as she was the first woman and first person ever to graduate from the university course normally read by men who prepare for the priesthood, and is therefore accustomed to questioning the system. On Monday 16th October 2017, she realised that an even larger system had killed a journalist and was trying to make us forget about it. She immediately joined #occupyjustice in the same month and also joined Repubblika as it was formed in January 2019. She was subsequently elected to its Executive Committee in October 2019. One year later, she was voted as Vice-President of the Organisation and shall put in the nomination for the post of President of the Organisation in March 2023. She curated the installation book Justice for Daphne is Justice for Our right to know which was shortlisted for the National Book Prize, and edited The Third Siege of Malta by Manuel Delia. She also writes for The Times of Malta and sometimes blogs for Truth Be Told.

Having recently completed his MTL (Masters in teaching and Learning) in Science, Matthew is a science and chemistry teacher and is very passionate about science clubs and their potential to inspire, engage, motivate, and empower students. He is passionate about social justice, and even carried out voluntary work in Malta and abroad with the Missionaries of Charity through their summer schools. He also volunteered for a short time in Ħal-Far Outreach (HFO), where he understands and appreciates the plight in which immigrants are kept and treated. A recent Member of Repubblika, Matthew is looking forward to the fight for social justice and democracy with excitement and determination.

Rosette Thake has been an activist since her secondary school days in the 1980s. With an educational background in communication, sociology and adult training and development, over the years she has been involved in journalism, radio and television production, the management of childcare provision, the cooperative management and national and international representation of the Maltese cooperative sector, the administration of political parties as well as adult training and development. Her deep passion for social justice and firm belief in the power of education for change highlighted many initiatives she has engaged in over the years and was co-opted to the Executive Committee of Repubblika in early 2020.

Isabel Vella currently runs various medical services companies but previously worked at the University of Malta and in the tourism industry. She was Deputy Chairman of Heritage Malta for a number of years. Isabel was involved with NGOs and political parties during much of her adult life. She joined Repubblika as a Member of the Committee shortly after its inception.

Pia Zammit runs an educational NGO and is communication skills coach by day, an actor by night, and an activist 24/7. She campaigned for the removal of the theatre censorship laws, started #occupyjustice with her friend and activist Clemence Dujardin, and is one of the founding members of Repubblika.

Manuel Delia is a blogger who works in Malta and focuses on journalism against corruption and good governance. He manages Truth Be Told (manueldelia.com) which is a daily account and commentary of political and institutional issues in Malta with specific attention to mafia crimes, migration and human trafficking, corruption and bribery, and erosion of democracy.

He entered journalism and activism following the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017. Together with several other journalists, he continued some of Daphne’s investigations and documented the political and institutional consequences of her assassination.

Manuel is co-author of the book Murder on the Malta Express and author of The Third Siege of Malta.