In a surprise announcement, a plan was yesterday unveiled to erect a sculpture in the middle of Castille Square to mark next month’s EU-Africa summit, raising new questions over the planned monument to Dom Mintoff.

The government, through the Department of Information, sent a press release announcing the plan shortly before noon.

According to the published artist’s impression, the sculpture will be placed in front of Auberge de Castille, the Prime Minister’s Office, along the same axis reserved for monuments dedicated to former prime ministers.

An artistic impression of the monument designed by Vince Briffa.

But this indicates that the planned monument to the late Dom Mintoff will have to be located elsewhere, and in a less prominent part of the square.

Designed by artist Vince Briffa, the bianco carrara marble sculpture is in the form of a “knot”, symbolising the close geographical link between Europe and Africa as well as the “entanglement” of these two continents over migration.

Mr Briffa yesterday declined comment when asked if the design had been chosen following a public call, and what its overall cost would be. He was also asked to confirm its precise location in the square.

According to the government statement, the monument was carved out of a 34-tonne marble block quarried in Italy, which was subsequently chiselled down to six-tonne pieces to get the desired form. The sculpture will be shipped to Malta and laid in position in the coming days.

The square has been undergoing a €1.6 million embellishment project which will be completed in the coming days. The project includes the relocation of all monuments dedicated to Malta’s former prime ministers.

The sculpture will be shipped to Malta and laid in position in the coming days

At the moment the square is home to statues of former prime ministers George Borg Olivier and Sir Paul Boffa, and social reformer Manwel Dimech.

When principal permanent secretary Mario Cutajar unveiled the design of the square last March, he had said the plans also incorporated a statue of Dom Mintoff which had been in the pipeline since December 2013.

Heritage Malta had chosen the winning design by renowned artist Alfred Camilleri Cauchi.

However, it later transpired that the bronze statue of the late divisive premier would no longer be placed alongside the statue of Borg Olivier.

In a story published last August by The Sunday Times of Malta, it also emerged that the statue had been scrapped in favour of a five-metre abstract memorial designed by artist Valerio Schembri.

In a further twist, three weeks later Maltese Sunday paper It-Torċa reported that the original plan to erect a statue had in fact not been axed but would be unveiled next year.

According to this newspaper, the statue is to be located in a prominent spot in the square and will mark 100 years since Mintoff’s birth.

However, yesterday’s announcement seems to have relegated the Mintoff project to the back burner – or at least to the back of the square. Questions sent to the Office of the Prime Minister to clarify the situation were not answered by the time of writing.

The Castille Square makeover must be completed in time for the Valletta Summit on Migration scheduled between November 11 and 12.

Two weeks later Malta will once again take centre stage, this time for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that it will be hosting between November 27 and 29.

Thumbs up from Richard England

The monument marking the Valletta Summit on Migration has been endorsed by renowned architect Prof. Richard England who described it as a “welcome change” from figurative politicians.

“We have enough political figures filling up open spaces in Valletta,” he said.

“It seems to be an interesting play between the Maltese words “għoqda” (knot) and “għaqda” (union) in relation to the migration issue,” he said.

He also noted that many generations ago people used to tie a knot in their handkerchiefs as a reminder.

“In a way the knot reminds us that the problem is there, it’s very serious and needs a humanitarian solution.”

Asked whether it had been better to choose the best design through an open call, Prof. England declined to comment saying that “the project was in the hands of a good artist”.