Barely hours after Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday, Malta engaged in a resurged online debate over the validity of a monument in honour of the monarch.

An online petition started by citizen Jerome Farrugia and addressed to the government had already garnered 766 signatures out of a target of 800 at the time of writing.

‘A national obligation’

Simon Cusens believes Malta is “obliged” to erect the monument, especially in light of how “poorly” the authorities have remembered her since she died.

While many cities around the world lit up their national buildings in her honour, nothing remotely close has been done in Malta, he argued.

If a statue is built, then it would be best placed in Valletta, he said, because she was far more important than a president or prime minister, although Cusens said it could also be a memorial garden in her honour, for instance.

The Maltese researcher with British roots said that approaching this discussion with opinions or emotions is a “historic and cultural sacrilege”. Rather, it is about facts, all of which justify the monument and point to its imminent start.

“This woman was the Queen of Malta for 10 years – she was the head of state. Her father awarded us the George Cross, her reign over Malta saw a boom in the shipyard economy, and she did not simply rule over the country – she lived in it. She was a resident of Malta – a period which, she confessed, was one of the most beautiful in her life,” Cusens said.

“These are all undeniable historical facts. So yes, of course she deserves a monument. I cannot think of a more illustrious person who touched billions of lives during a 70-year reign, that would deserve a monument more than she does.

“Queen Victoria never lived here, and she has a monument in the heart of Valletta. Now, just think about how much more significant the reign of Elizabeth II was for our country.”

Cusens is frequently criticised for his love of the monarchy, of course, but he insists the erection of a monument should not be equated with a mentality of servitude, love for colonialism or sucking up to foreign rule. It is merely a recognition of the rich history that made the Maltese people who they are today.

“Just because we recognise our own history doesn’t mean we’re reviving colonialism,” he said.

‘Proves we are subservient’

Notary and Xagħra Labour mayor Christian Zammit, on the other hand, thinks the petition is stupid and believes a statue would be, quite literally, a monumental mistake.

“This debate continues to prove what a subservient people we are. This feverish servilism shows we are once again sucking up to foreigners because that is what we’ve always done during the British rule when we wanted something from them,” he said.

“We would grovel before them, take the little they would give us and never stand up for anything. As long as we got our daily bread, we as Maltese, hardly ever spoke up about the hardships they imposed on us, for fear of consequences.

“And just like we sucked up to the monarchy, we now suck up to the two political parties. We grovel before them to take something, and then stay silent in the face of injustice and environmental destruction, because as long as we get our daily bread, we don’t care.”

Zammit says he has great respect for Queen Elizabeth II and her office, explaining he is criticising the Maltese colonial mentality which, to his disbelief, remains vigorously impenetrable, 60 years after Independence.

The mayor adds that the monument is a mistake because the Queen remains the head of a foreign state, but Cusens disagrees.

Just because something is foreign does not mean it is not valuable to Maltese people and should be discarded.

“Some want to get rid of the George Cross for the same reason,” Cusens said.

“But by that logic, should we get rid of the red and white colours of our flag? Because they belong to the Normans. And we must discard the eight-pointed cross as well, because it belongs to the Knights.

“No. They are ours as well because they are weaved into our history and culture. And the Queen is part of that beautiful weave.”

Cusens says the time she spent in Malta as a princess marked the last few months of freedom before taking on a mammoth throne that would see her reign for 70 years. Malta was her only home outside the UK and it was in Malta that she spent Christmas and her 24th birthday and lived and walked the streets with the Maltese people.

“She ate, slept, danced and wept with the Maltese people. Some even believe she conceived the new king in Malta. She was the Queen of Maltese hearts,” he said.

But Zammit argues Malta was hardly a slice of heaven under the British rule.

“For the British, Malta was two chunks of rock filled with priests and prostitutes, where people spoke a weird African dialect and were too close for comfort to Rome and the Pope,” he said.

“Ultimately, under the British, the Maltese were poor, illiterate and considered second and third-class citizens. Maltese people weren’t even allowed access to all land in their country and the British simply used that land and our harbours for their needs. And when they left, they left us struggling with economic failure, a brain drain of hundreds of people emigrating to other countries, and unemployment.”

Zammit said it is only after Independence and after Malta became a republic that the Maltese people could taste the first fruits of a decent standard of living that they would not have even dreamt of under the British rule.

“Why would we erect a monument? Because she spent a few months living in luxury in Gwardamangia and then said she liked it?” he said.

“So many tourists spend time here and say they like it. Should we erect monuments for them as well?”

Zammit, who has frequently called out the rampant overdevelopment, at times criticising his own party, said that people’s modern lack of courage to speak out against overdevelopment is a symptom of colonialism, which caused people to remain silent, just so that they do not risk suffering political consequences.

Cusens, however, says the Queen should be honoured with a monument specifically because she was never partisan, never expressed opinions or interfered in political disputes. She remained truly neutral.

Cusens believes the monument must not be erected at Villa Guardamangia and must not be the villa itself.

Build a museum in her memory

Former Times of Malta journalist Waylon Johnston disagrees.

The monarchy is quintessential example of service to the people and it does a fantastic job, most of which does not get the attention it deserves, he said. It holds the prime minister accountable and is the one, unchanging constant in people’s lives.

“People are upset that she died, not because they knew her personally, but because she was always there. The monarchy is a constant,” he said.

“And saying that her time in Malta was one of the happiest periods of her life is hugely significant. She could have said that about any other place, but she chose Malta.”

That is why Johnston is not against the idea of a statue but feels it is somewhat of an overkill – a “kneejerk reaction” to the news of her death.

A museum would suffice and considering her memories at Villa Guardamangia and the government’s acquisition of the property, it would be an ideal place for the museum, he said.

The museum could collaborate with Buckingham Palace in bringing royal artefacts to Malta, among many other potential initiatives.

Former trade unionist Jeremy Camilleri also believes the villa would be best transformed into a memorial in her honour, but is not really bothered with the discussion, arguing there are more important issues facing the country.

Camilleri, known on social media for his strong leftist and migrant integration beliefs, does not see how a monument would be any different from many others peppered around Valletta.

“I noticed some people are against the monument because the Queen was a foreign ruler. Well, so was La Valette, and nobody is questioning his monument in Valletta,” he said.

“Just like him, Queen Victoria and the many other busts and monuments representing other people, Queen Elizabeth II was part of our history. Why not a monument in her honour as well? I don’t understand this new puritanism.”

Cusens said the monument makes sense because Malta’s identity is not simply what it is today, but what it was in the past.

“What is a country without its history? What will be left of our country if we rip it of its heritage?” he said.

“I, for one, refuse to believe that Malta is what is happening to it today. Environmental destruction, materialism, greed, corruption... thank God we have our beautiful history and heritage, because otherwise, we have nothing.”