Former The Times editor Charles Grech Orr passes away

Charles Grech Orr joined Allied Newspapers Ltd in 1947 and after having worked for several years as a court reporter, he was appointed editor between 1965 and 1990, a time which included Malta's-post-independence transition and when The Times building in Valletta had been attacked by Labour Party thugs in 1979, known as Black Monday. The paper was out on the street as usual the following morning, reduced in size but a triumph for freedom of expression.

Grech Orr was succeeded by Ray Bugeja in 1990, who in 1993 left The Times to join The Malta Independent. In 1993 Victor Aquilina became editor, spending 10 years in the post, and retiring in 2003, when he was replaced by Bugeja, who had since returned to Allied Newspapers.

Grech Orr's son, Karl, who is a lawyer, has for a number of years been contributing the Law Report published in The Times on Mondays.

He is also survived by his wife Grace (nee Ganado) and his other two children Caroline and Marisa.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) expressed its deepest condolences to the family of Grech Orr.  Grech Orr was the founder of the Malta Press Club, known as IGM.