11/08/2021
bonju gozo ❤️
“Sfidi u diffikultajiet? Ma jaqtgħuli qalbi qatt.
Għandi 48 sena u b’wiċċi minn quddiem nista’ ngħid li ħajti qatt ma kienet faċli. Qattajt tfuliti u parti minn żgħożiti ġewwa l-Istitut ta’ San Ġużepp f’Għajnsielem. Li ma tikbirx mal-ġenituri u jkollok kulur tal-ġilda differenti minn tal-bqija tista’ żżommok lura llum, fi żmienna, aħseb u ara erbgħin sena ilu. Għamilt sa 15-il sena orfni. F’ħajti għamilt żmien anki homeless. Imma dejjem kelli determinazzjoni kbira li nirnexxi u dejjem emmint fija nnifsi.
Lgħabt mal-aqwa timijiet Għawdxin u anki f’Malta. Illum Viċi-President tal-Victoria Hotspurs, il-klabb li tant huwa għal qalbi. Il-futbol għalija ma kienx biss żvog jew passatemp, imma attivita’ li għallmitni biex qatt ma nieħu xejn for granted. Fhimt li jekk ma tkunx dixxiplinat, preparat u serju, ir-rebħ – bħal kollox fil-ħajja, ma jasalx.
Il-ħiliet li ksibt fl-isports swewli meta ġejt biex niftaħ in-negozju tiegħi. Ma xtaqtx nimita lil ħaddieħor, imma ridt li noffri lill-klijentela kunċett ġdid. Wara li kelli d-‘Dive Bar’ f’Marsalforn, kont minn tal-ewwel li emmint fi Pjazza San Ġorġ, fil-qalba tar-Rabat Għawdex, għandha potenzjal kbir u għalhekk ftaħt il-Grapes Wine Bar fl-2004. Grapes beda bil-kunċett li tieħu tazza nbid u tnaqqar xi ġbejna, il-kunċett ta’ tapas. Illum hu restaurant. Anki l-bosta attivitajiet li tellajt matul is-snin, fi żmien il-festi tal-Milied, fil-karnival, jew fis-sajf, kienu innovattivi għal Għawdex u l-pubbliku apprezza dak li kont qed nagħmel.
Jien grat ħajti kollha lejn dawk li fi tfuliti u żgħożiti ħadu paċenzja bija u emmnu fija - avolja ġieli kont imqarqaċ mhux ħazin. Biex irnexxejt fin- negozju, l-appoġġ kontinwu ta' marti Liliana kien fundamentali. Fil-ħajja, importanti wkoll li jkollok ħbieb ġenwini li tista' sserraħ fuqhom meta r-riħ ikun faċċata. Irrid ngħid li min irid li jkollu suċċess fin-negozju jrid dejjem jimxi pass pass, iżomm f'moħħu l-onesta`, moħħ miftuħ biex dejjem jitgħallem u rispett lejn il-klijent u lejn kulħadd.
Grat ħafna lejn Għawdex. Din il-gżira laqgħatni u tatni ħafna. Bħala Għawdxi nixtieq ħafna li lil dan id-“Djamant”, kif kiteb u kanta l-mibki Dominic Grech, nibqgħu nħarsuh, mhux biss biex nibqgħu nattiraw turist ta’ kwalita’, imma għalina lkoll li ngħixu hawn f’din il-gżira ċkejkna imma tant sabiħa.
Lil dawk li għaddejjin minn mumenti iebsa, jew li bħalissa qed jaraw biss sħab iswed, ngħidilhom ‘Kuraġġ! Wara l-maltemp titfaċċa l-qawsalla. Dejjem!” – Dione Lautier
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"Challenges and difficulties? I never give up.
I am 48 years old and I can unashamedly say that my life has not been easy. I spent my childhood and part of my youth at the St Joseph Institute in Ghajnsielem. Not growing up with your parents and having a different skin colour than others is an obstacle even today, let alone in my time, forty years ago. I was an orphan until I was 15. I have been homeless too. But I have always been extremely determined to survive and never stopped believing in myself.
I played with the best Gozitan and Maltese teams. Today I am the Vice-President of Victoria Hotspurs, the club I hold so dear. Football was not just a hobby or a way to pass the time for me, but an activity that taught me to never take anything for granted. I understood that if one is not disciplined, prepared and committed, victory - like everything else in life - will not happen.
The skills I acquired through sports came in handy when I started my business. I did not wish to imitate others, but wanted to offer a new concept to the client. After opening the "Dive Bar" in Marsalforn, I was one of the very first who recognized the potential of St George's Square, in the heart of Rabat, Gozo and that is why I opened the Grapes Wine Bar in 2004. Grapes started off with the concept of drinking a glass of wine accompanied by a gbejna (local goat's cheese) - the tapas concept. Today it is a restaurant. A number of activities I organized over the years, for the Christmas period, carnival, or over the summer months, were innovative by Gozitan standards and the public appreciated what I was doing.
I shall always be grateful to all those who during my childhood and youth were patient with me and believed in me - even though I was somewhat naughty. To make it in this business the continuous support of my wife Liliana was fundamental. In life it is also important to have genuine friends who you can depend on in times of trouble. I believe that to succeed in business you need to do it step by step, be honest, and keep an open mind to allow yourself to learn together with respect towards clients and everyone else.
I am indebted towards Gozo. This island welcomed me and gave me a lot. As a Gozitan I really wish that this "Diamond" as the greatly missed singer and writer Dominic Grech referred to it, is looked after, not only to attract good quality tourists, but also for us who live on this little, beautiful island.
To all those who are going through tough times, or those whose skies seem dark, I say "Courage! There is always a rainbow at the end of a storm. Always!" – Dione Lautier
