Reality is that the British successfully resisted such calls for independence as were made by Maltese politicians and, in any case, there was never any clamour on the part of the people for such a step to be taken.

The simple truth is that independence would have been foisted upon Malta at some time during the 1960s whether the Maltese had demanded it or not – this dictated by the then ongoing process of decolonisation, the dismantling of the British Empire.and of changed circumstances on the international front.

Why not? I’d rather have this than the whole “Freedom Day” charade.

They provided their short-sighted opportunistic “solutions” rather than opportunities.

Is this the kind of history we are going to get when the PL celebrates its 90 years?

It is more a story of envious under qualified teachers at MCAST (Carmel Pule excepted) in their overwhelming majority Nationalist supporters who saw an opportunity to achieve university academic status as well as displace much more highly qualified university staff.

Perhaps Dom Mintoff used them but it is always collaborators seeking self-advancement who are the worst enemies of society and without their egoistic support better counsel would have prevailed as in the Labour Party they were many important figures against the so called reform.

As regards Prof Mallia, an academic of outstanding integrity, it is to his great credit that he declined the rectorship when it was offered to him by Dom.

Prof. Mallia’s exit from the University of Malta was anything but amicable. He is the most honest and upright human being I have ever known. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

Friggieri writes about how the academic staff were summoned one morning to a meeting that same evening at Mintoff’s office. Members of his cabinet were there too.

The university reform was a fait accompli, and included the dismantling of the faculties of theology, philosophy and arts and the introduction of the student-worker scheme.

Lino Briguglio, who was a junior lecturer at the time, tried to ask Mintoff something, but Mintoff interrupted him and shouted “Ma naqblux mieghek ahna! Jekk trid xi haga, iftah partit ghalik.” Briguglio had resigned from the Labour party some days earlier.

After the meeting, Fr Peter Serracino Inglott advised his fellow academics to leave Malta if they wished to pursue an academic career.

So much for Mintoff giving everyone access to education.

And, yet, I am not aware of him being given any Emeritus Professorship. Please correct me if I am wrong. As an ex-student of his, I am one of those who hold Prof Mallia in very high regard.

It really is a great pity how the University of Malta was pretty much reduced to nothing in the ’80s. Two decades later, and the cracks still show.

As for that pathetic nonagenarian, I have no further comment to make.