Pamela Hansen wrote last week that Dom Mintoff changed Malta's class system. He did not. He institutionalised class hatred, which is something entirely different. He fomented division, incited suspicion and envy, and destroyed the educational and career chances of at least two generations, by encouraging them to deride the speaking of English, mocking as tal-pepè and laghqin tal-Inglizi those who persisted in doing so.

Dom Mintoff created the illusion of change to the class system by his ceaseless attempts to destroy those whom he perceived to be the 'ruling classes', missing the essential point that while you can take away a person's money, you cannot do the same with the reality of their background or their education.

Meanwhile, the working classes he professed to champion, while treating them like mesmerised fools and idiots, were denied the true means to a better life: higher earnings and education. These they achieved only after 1987, with the explosion of work opportunities and educational reform at secondary and tertiary level.

Ms Hansen also wrote that Mr Mintoff put Malta on the international map. Yes, he did so - but for all the wrong reasons. He turned Malta into a pariah state, with a leader whose name was met with headshaking, and expressions of incredulity. The Maltese were not admired; we were pitied. Like the Kings of Soho before him, one of whom is a most fervent supporter of his and writes me letters in red ink each time I criticise his hero, Dom Mintoff made us embarrassed to say where we came from. He was certainly not our Eva Peron, and nobody will be writing rock operas about his reign.

Mr Mintoff was not a "scourge to the Maltese upper classes", as Ms Hansen claims. He was a scourge to the Maltese of all classes, and to Malta as a whole. A better man would have done things differently, with more positive results, and less damage and distress all round - as we have indeed seen since his political demise.

We are heartily sick of Dom Mintoff. The sooner those who are milking him for his sideshow value, and his potential to upset Alfred Sant's applecart, realise this, the better for all concerned.

Pamela Hansen writes:

I am sorry that Ms Caruana Galizia fails to see that Dom Mintoff did change our class system. I can understand her anger that some suffered educational and career setbacks during Mr Mintoff's time. My youngest brother was one of the victims.

As I said last week, Mr Mintoff's bullying and dictatorial tactics were some of his unendearing characteristics. However, I think that to blame just him for fomenting class hatred is looking through blinkers and taking a one-sided view.

Ms Caruana Galizia has often put down people she regards as inferior by the way they dress, their hairstyles and lifestyle in her regular contributions. That hardly engenders class harmony.

I well remember, some people still do it, the way working place people were put down as hamalli by the English-speaking bourgeoisie.

The title tal-pepè was justifiably used by working-class people who were looked down on because they did not go to private schools and did not speak English.

People used to be judged by who their parents were and not their ability. Nepotism and privilege were rife. Ms Caruana Galizia demonstrates this clearly when she says "Dom Mintoff created the illusion of change to the class system by his ceaseless attempts to destroy those who he perceived to be the 'ruling classes', missing the essential point that while you can take away a person's money, you cannot do the same with the reality of their background or their education."

The working class Maltese did not have the privilege of "background" and "education" - Mintoff changed that.