Born at Cospicua on 11th August 1914, Chetcuti studied at St. Albert’s Central School and the Teachers’ College in Valletta. In 1936 he entered Government service as a primary teacher and two years later he was appointed store officer with the medical and health department. In 1940 he joined the editorial staff of the information office as translator. He also worked as radio announcer during the war years. Chetcuti re-joined the education department and taught Maltese at the Lyceum (1956-74) and at the Mater Admirabilis Training College, at the sixth form and at the Upper Secondary School (1964-74). He also taught during the emergency teachers’ maturity course and acted as an examiner of Maltese on various examining boards.
Chetcuti was actively involved in the Akkademja tat-Malti’s affairs. A member since 1937, he was Secretary (1939-48), Vice-President (1990-92) and President of its sub-committee for orthographic matters. He is also a life member of the Ghaqda Poeti Maltin, council-member of the Malta Drama League and co-founder of the Xirka ghat-Tixrid ta’ l-listen Ma/it (1939). He was awarded the Citta di Valletta in 1986 and was appointed Member of the National Order of Merit (MOM) in 1996.
His publications include: Novels – Id Dawl tal-Hajja (1996); Imhabba u Mewt (1961); L-Isqaq (Best Novel of the Year 1962); It-Tnalja (1963); Nirien ta’ Mhabba (1967); Qabel Telghet ix-Xemx (1987); Manwela (1993); It-Tezor ta’Dun Natal (1996); Grajjiet mill- Hajja ta’ Kappillan (1999) and Kiefer id-Destin ma’ Nina Roza (1999): Poems - Poeziji (1945); Melita Invicta (1945); Paeziji Marjani (1953); Il-Hajja Nzul u Tlajja’ (1964); Il-Lingwa ta’ l-Imhabba (1993); Oralorju Muzikali ‘Marija Immakulata’ (1994) and Paeti Maltin (anthology 1973): Plays - Il-Kerrejja (1963); lmhuh Morda (1965); Manwela (1979); 1919 (1987); Il-Ghadu tal-Poplu (1987) and Giuditta by Dr. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici (Il-Gross 1996): Short Stories - Martin u Novelli Ohra (1991); Il-Mandraggara a Stejjer Ohra (1980); L-Imhatra u 24 Novella Ohra (1991) and It-Tabib Fonzin (1994): Criticism and Language - Dwar Il-Poezija Maltija (1946); Studji Kritici Giovanni Curmi, Ninu Cremona (1956); Traduzzjonijiet u Komponimenti (1959); Tahrig ghall-Ezamijiet tal Malti (1973); Tghallem Il-Maltti f’Ghoxrin Lezzjoni (1982); Nirien ta’ Mhabba: Noti ghall-Matrikola Avvanzata (1984); Stilistika Maltija u Movimenti Ohra (1985) and Translations – Irmied (G. Curmi’s Itatian Poems, 1965); Epistolarju Romantiku (G. Curmi 1965); Il-Martri (V.M. Pellegrini 1967) and L-Ghadu tad-Poplu (H. Ibsen’s play, 1987).
L-Isqaq was translated in English by Maud Ruston as An Alley in Malta (1971) and into Arabic by Ibrahim Irnigami (1978). Ruston also translated lt-Tnalja as The Snare (1978).