A living monument

I refer to the article Minister Recalls "A Blot In Malta's History" (February 15). While fully agreeing with the content of the article, and indeed Minister Tonio Borg ought to be commended for having dug up Malta's past so as to keep alive the hardships endured by our forefathers, I would like to express my concern over the timeframe that would be needed to erect a monument for the 43 Maltese exiled to Uganda!

Indeed, I have written to the Office of the Prime Minister on December 6, 2006 on behalf of my client Umberto Pirrone. Mr Pirrone, who is 92 years old, is, to my knowledge, the last remaining survivor of the unfortunate lot who ended up being victims of the circumstances of the day.

The contents of my letter need not be discussed but to date, bar for an acknowledgement from a certain Remigio Bartolo (OPM), I have not received any feedback despite regular phone calls to which I receive the sad reply that at that time nobody is in the office.

Hence, I would think that the local authorities would need a very long timeframe to erect a monument if it has taken so long to reply to a simple letter!

For the record, the Governor of the day was Sir William George Sheddan Dobbie and among the unfortunate were Dr Enrico Mizzi, Sir Arturo Mercieca, Edgar Soler, Mgr Albert Pantalleresco and Mgr Cavaendish. A commemorative marble stone was unveiled inside the Law Courts on February 19, 1994.