Commemorative medal

I refer to the letter (June 8) by the former Malta High Commissioner in London, Salv J. Stellini, regarding the award of the Malta George Cross 50th anniversary medal to the WWII veteran, Squadron Leader C.S. Bamberger.

On behalf of the Sq. Ldr Bamberger and myself, I thank Mr Stellini for his promise to help in the problem so that justice is made with my parishioner, Mr Bamberger. However, two points in Mr Stellini's letter need elucidation.

It seems that Mr Stellini took issue to my letter of June 1. He seems to be objecting to my stating that "Squadron Leader Bamberger's application was submitted in time to the Malta High Commission in London, as attested by Mr Stellini, the then Malta High Commissioner." By "attested" I meant "acknowledged" the receipt of the application, and not the eligibility to the award. My Concise Oxford Dictionary shows 'to attest' as 'to bear witness to'.

Squadron Leader Bamberger's application to the Malta High Commission in London, was answered by a letter over the signature of Mr Stellini himself, stating inter alia: "Your letter has been referred to The George Cross Island Association who will send you the necessary form and other details.

"The George Cross Island Association has been appointed by the Maltese authorities to certify the correctness of the particulars included in the official form." This does not tally with what is stated in Mr Stellini's letter to The Times (June 8). Sq. Ldr Bamberger maintains that he never received the documents promised above.

Recently, the private secretary to the prime minister has informed Mr Bamberger's attorney in Malta that the application has been lost. The foregoing does not leave any doubt that the application had been mislaid somewhere and by someone down the line after it was submitted to the Malta High Commission in London. Hence the Maltese government, Mr Bamberger maintains and I agree with him, should shoulder the responsibility of its functionaries' behaviour and misdemeanours. This is the maxim for "accountability".

In his letter to Mr Bamberger's attorney in Malta, the private secretary to the prime minister stated: "Had the application been followed up by the time of the closing date for applications, that is by April 15, 1995, the matter would have been easily resolved." In the relative legislation, "closing date" applies only to the submission of applications, and not to follow ups.

To my mind, the Malta government should not hesitate to award Sq. Ldr Bamberger this coveted medal, once it is proved beyond any shadow of doubt that the application was in the hands of the Maltese government's diplomatic corps, within the stipulated time. In such a case, the government is not bending any rule or regulation.