That empty chair

Some people seem to have a fixation with the statue of Queen Victoria, in Valletta because they consider it to be the embodiment of lingering colonialism in the Maltese islands.

I might have understood such a view if it had been a statue of a conquering sovereign or general on horseback, symbolising power and dominance. But what I see is an old lady, projecting a stern and almost sad bearing. Rendered even more innocuous by the fact that it is surrounded by umbrellas and tables. I would say, an almost demeaning setting for a queen.

The empty chair in Pjazza Reġina

What I see is a vestige from the 19th century. A part of Malta’s history and heritage, as are also the buildings that surround it.

It needs also to be remembered that this statue was not something imposed by the colonial rulers of that time. It was commissioned on the initiative of the Malta business community and paid for by them. In contrast, the sculpture presently erected in front of it has been paid out of public funds, Incidentally, do we know its cost?

Paradoxically, while there are people who object to the statue of Queen Victoria, erected some 135 years ago, there are others who applaud the initiative by Heritage Malta to restore Villa Guardamangia, in remembrance of the late Queen Elisabeth II, from our very recent past.

Personally speaking, after 50 years since Malta became a republic and 20 years since joining the EU, I do not sense any particular problem from some form of residual colonial mentality. Today, our challenge stems from the inexorable globalisation and continuous exposure to outside cultural influences. Sometimes, these are being simply appropriated, rather than being assimilated. 

Finally, if there are people who are genuinely concerned with what they see as manifestations of a lingering colonial mentality; then they should not be targeting the statue of Queen Victoria.

Instead, I would have expected these people to question Malta’s membership of the Commonwealth. This would be a more logical crusade for them to embark upon, the Commonwealth being an international association specifically born out of the old British Empire, with its head being the British sovereign.

To be clear, I do not share this view but I would love to see an end to this hypocritical nonsense about the Pjazza Reġina statue, including this latest ‘empty chair’ gimmick.

Ray Cachia Zammit – Paola