Why Labour keeps mum about Gaddafi (3)
A Labour activist called Jurgen Cachia has set up a site of photographs as part of Labour’s Golden Years programme: 40 years of bilateral relations between Malta and Libya (40 years which do not include the 21 years 1987 to 2008, when AST returned to the fold and introduced ‘Joseph’ to Gaddafi).
It includes this gem. Look at the way Anton Buttigieg and that other man are hanging onto him, ma jmurx jaharbilhom.
Col. Gaddaffi’s 2nd visit to Malta
19-21 December 1974: Gaddafi was the first Head of State to visit Malta just one week after becoming a Republic, abolishing the monarchy here as he had done there. During his stay Col Gaddafi met Prime Minister Mintoff at Castille and discussed amongst other subject petroleum and the Kalafrana port project. He also signed an agreement setting up a Libyan-Maltese Holding Company to promote Libyan investment in industry and tourism in Malta. Gaddafi paid visits to the General Workers Union and visited the Polytechnic where he addressed the students, and the Malta Drydocks where he is seen here with the late Deputy Prime Minister and later President of the Republic Dr. Anton Buttigieg whilst inspecting progress on work on the floating dock being constructed there for Libya. Gaddafi also made a speech in the House of Representatives. Gaddafi also inaugurated the Libyan Cultural Institute sited instead of the Main Guard opposite Parliament in Valletta (now closed)
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I had forgotten about the tacky plywood green box covering the historical British coat of arms over the Main Guard. Another example of Mintoffian servility to Gheddafi.
“abolishing the monarch here, as he had done there”
What the F**K?
Ah, La Redoute, I think you need a little history lessen. So here goes. After Independence, Malta was declared to be a Monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II of the UK to be also Queen of Malta.
She even had her Maltese Royal Standard, which was flown only once, when she visited the islands as Queen of Malta (NOT of the UK), in 1967. By declaring Malta a Republic in 1974, the Maltese government abolished the Monarchy in Malta and Queen Elizabeth became a foreign Head of State.
[Daphne – Might I butt in? You’re wrong. Malta did not abolish a monarchy to become a republic. ‘Abolishing the monarchy’ describes the situation that pertained, for example, in Libya in 1969. Queen Elizabeth is still there, and is about to marry off a grandson. I see what you are trying to say, but even there you’re wrong. Britain, and still less the queen, had no objections to Malta becoming a republic, just as there were no objections to Malta becoming independent as part of the general decolonisation process of the 1950s and 1960s.]
For the record.
The other man in the picture is John M Calleja, Malta Drydocks GM.
Min jaf kemm jiftahru b’dawn ir-ritratti tal-Labour. Tghid kienu jafu minhu ezatt Gaddafi?
Another heart warming photo from the ‘Golden Years’
Did you notice that the two Maltese gentlemen are holding Ghaddafi ‘labransetta’ – wtf?