Mintoff biography

Richard Matrenza has beat me to it in lauding Fr Mark Montebello’s Dom Mintoff biography as a masterpiece (July 18).

As an avid Melitensia enthusiast and collector, I have read most, if not all the biographies of Maltese political personalities published to date.

I find this publication tops the lot in general content, style, historical research and accuracy as well as pleasant readability.

It has been written as an intelligent very independent labour of love, not love of Labour, pardon the pun.

Some passages are ‘desperately honest’ and it is understandable that some would have preferred that certain details were never included. This happens, more often than not, with the majority of biographies worldwide. Truth, especially when set to paper, is the most delicate matter to present.

As to the sexuality furore, it was Mintoff himself, after all, who once candidly and liberally wrote in this paper that his behaviour was not always “lily white”. Period.

Compared to other Melitensia publications, this one is not prohibitively priced, probably subsidised by the SKS, which have opted to controversially clear it off their shelves without giving a reason to justify the decision. Is it a matter of being ‘hoist by their own petard’?

If there is a negative side to this publication, it is in the print as Matrenza correctly points out.

The many references, which the author has painstakingly compiled, are so minute that most readers would not even attempt to refer to. At 1.2 kilos in weight, the book is already on the heavy side and more pages to enlarge the print would have rendered it inconvenient to hold.

This should not, however, discourage anyone from reading this classical biography.

Victor Pisani – Birżebbuġa

Stop defacing Gozo

The natural beauty that one finds in Gozo is captivating. If only the many stones that adorn the rubble walls of the island and the trailing clouds roaming in the sky over the fertile fields could speak! Who knows how many times the soil of this little terrain has been turned over and over again by our forefathers to earn their living? It is indeed a rich land of exquisite charm and beauty owing to its great civilisations. Gozo is small in size but great in its history and culture.

Daniel Cilia and I have published books about our glorious island. We have always tried to be genuine ambassadors of Gozo. Sensibility is a characteristic of the heart that makes a person special. It engraves in our heart who we are… truth emerges in its splendour and completeness. Unfortunately, there are some people so insensitive and so greedy that the only thing that they are interested in is money. In our neighbouring island of Sicily, they are called ‘mafiosi’.

At present, Gozo is in chaos. Let us search for the truth. Bruno Giordano wrote: “It is not the oppressor or tyrant that creates slaves but the believers who live in tyranny that keep the world in a state of tyranny.” The masks will fall one day and truth will reveal who these persons are. It is only a matter of time. Buddha used to say: “Words have the power to destroy or to create. When words are sincere and kind, they can change the world.” An honest man will always abide by the truth unlike the dishonest man who will always abide by falsehood.

Sincerity is a very uncomfortable chair where very few people are prepared to sit. I find it very difficult to understand and accept the reasons why these people continue to ruin the island of Gozo with their reckless and selfish decisions. Every stone on the island bears witness to the ingenious creativity of all who have ever lived there.

The perseverance of the Gozitans to survive and live through thick and thin is a symbol of their unique personality, emerging from the environment where they live and work.

Gozitans wake up. Let us all defend our identity, personality, characteristics and, above all, our heritage. Let us stop the temptation to turn Gozo into a jungle unfit for humans.

You Gozitans involved in this tragic overdevelopment, stop destroying God’s natural beauty. Please, please, please, hands off our island. Let it retain its natural charm and beauty as God gave it to us.

We true Gozitans will continue to fight for our rights, even if we have to suffer. The island of Gozo is a rare gem, ‘a treasure without measure’. It invites you to live life to the full with serenity, optimism and joy. Let us all strive to keep its natural gorgeousness to enjoy this priceless diamond and marvellous paradise.

Fr Charles Cini – Marsalforn

The Tarhuna Gozitans

Charles Xuereb gave a background to Dragut’s forays with the Maltese islands (July 18). He mentioned specifically that, after the 1551 enslavement of nearly all the Gozitan inhabitants, the majority were taken to the north African area and left to settle in what eventually became known as Tarhuna City. Tarhuna has had a chequered history but very few are aware of the “Maltese” connection.

I remember very well hearing many in Libya, especially those from Tripolitania, referring to the gullibility of the inhabitants of Tarhuna. In Great Britain,  there is the expression “tell it to the Marines” as they are reputed to be very gullible. According to Libyan tradition, the people of Tarhuna were forever hoping that the Knights of St John would send a military force to liberate them. The knights had their problems and never organised any liberation effort. Thus, it became a disparaging and unsympathetic insult to those who had hoped in vain.

Another aspect of the Gozitan tribulations are certain actions taken by the knights. Even though the grandmaster had made very good promises, no Maltese wanted to move to Gozo and the alternative, as the knights did not want to leave that island uninhabited, was to bring over some other group. Eventually, they attracted a group of Egyptian Copts. The Copts are an ethno-religious group indigenous to North Africa, the majority of whom are Coptic Orthodox Christians.

Thus, the knights ensured that Gozo would remain Christian as they did not want any Muslim influence. This will explain certain aspects of the Gozitans, mainly the way they talk and explain themselves. They are still using a “language” brought by their ancestors some 470 years ago. Gozitans are mainly bilingual, using their traditional “language” between themselves while speaking “Maltese” to those from the larger sister island.

The Great Siege of 1556 was not the last battle between the Eastern Muslims and European Christians. The climax occurred at the battle of Lepanto when the Knights of St John united with a fleet of the Holy League that had been arranged by Pope Pius V and inflicted a major defeat on the Ottoman Empire. Eventually, the knights had defended the very important Charles Bridge (Karlův Most) that stopped the Ottomans from advancing further to the West.

One must highlight the fact that the Muslims never gave up their dream of “converting” Western Europe.

Frans Said – St Paul’s Bay

Justice sought 

I read with frustration the cruel story entitled ‘Father goes to court to reopen son’s mysterious death case’ (July 18).

I would like to see more of the details and outcome of this case.

I truly hope that, after five long years, this father will get the answers and some form of justice from our health system and authorities. I also would like to know what happened to the boy’s organs, whether this 17-year-old boy was killed for his organs or whether the organs were removed to hide the cause of death or whatever other reason caused the mysterious disappearance of the boy’s organs.

The authorities have a lot to answer on this case. Let’s hope justice will prevail.

Mary Camilleri Cutajar – Safi

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