The acting leader of the opposition, George Vella yesterday urged HSBC Bank Malta to donate a Turner watercolour, originally owned by Mid-Med Bank, to the Maltese people.
Speaking in parliament last night, Dr Vella referred to a press report saying that the watercolour by Turner would be displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts for the Maltese people to enjoy.
The news was given on Monday by The Times which said the painting, depicting the Grand Harbour, was being loaned by HSBC to the Fine Arts Museum following agreement between Education Minister Louis Galea and HSBC Bank Malta's chief executive officer Chris Hothersall.
Dr Vella said the watercolour had been purchased by Mid-Med Bank in mid-1998 and a big to-do had been made about it then because of the fact that a Maltese scene featured in the painting, the only Maltese scene to be painted by Turner.
He said that when Mid-Med Bank had been handed over to HSBC, because one could not say it had been sold, the latter had taken over everything lock stock and barrel, indeed "lock stock and barrel and Turner". Hence, even such a prestigious item was allowed to be taken over by HSBC.
Dr Vella said this incident proved the sorry state brought about by the government whereby everything owned by the Maltese had been given to the foreigner. Yet, he added, it seemed that today's HSBC leaders demonstrated more sensitivity than Finance Minister John Dalli by agreeing to loan the Turner painting temporarily so that it could be displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts. If the initiative was taken by Dr Galea then he was more sensitive than his colleague, Dr Vella added.
He wondered whether the HSBC leaders would be willing to consider donating the Turner painting to the Maltese people as a gesture of recognition for the manner in which the Maltese government had given Mid-Med Bank to HSBC. Simply loaning the painting to the Maltese people would be tantamount to perpetrating a humiliation given the fact that originally it used to be owned by the Maltese people. Thus, by donating the Turner item to Malta more dedication and respect would be shown towards the Maltese people than Mr Dalli had demonstrated when he had sold Mid-Med Bank to HSBC for a song, Dr Vella concluded.