Saturday, 8th November 2008

Dockyard deserves to be commemorated

John Carmel Navarro, Senglea

The dockyard is now a skeleton of what was once one of the main sources of income in the country; the livelihood of thousands of Maltese families depended on it.

My late father worked there from the 1930s till he was interned during World War II. There are so many memories for so many people who had ties with this hub of employment, I think that it would only be fitting that the passing on of this once great establishment be remembered and celebrated. It should not be left to just disappear as if it never existed.

I ask the political leaders to take up the task of organising an event to commemorate the achievements of the once glorious dockyard, which forms a big part of our cultural history. I know that I echo the voices of numerous people, who also include a number of British residents who owe their roots in Malta to the dockyard, as either they, their parents or their grandparents have worked there.

On this occasion, political party beliefs should be put to one side.

Next article • Pensioners should protest their lot

Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

A Genovese (on 9/11/08)

Mr Navarro, I totally agree with you. The dockyards were part of our country. Some people manage to forget that dockyard workers used to help out even when there were national emergencies. Because we always remember the days of protest but conveniently forget the help they offered during these emergenies when there was no Civil Protection people. I used to live in Cospicua overlooking the docks and when mum used to hear an ambulance, she used to send either me or one of my brothers to check whether it has gone to help someone in the docks. We used to pray every morning to our dear Lord 'Please get daddy back home'. I commemorate this writing to those dockyard workers who went to in the docks for their daily bread but never made it back home. Dear God Let Them Rest In Peace

mannes calleja (on 9/11/08)

Don’t cry for me mmd maybe it will reopen again in 2013 before next election !!!!!!!!!!! to catch lost voters from all parties

Joseph Ellul (on 8/11/08)

The MDD is finished. All the people who passed through the gates contributed something to its existence. Whatever you may think, just remember that many workers did not make it back home due to serious injury resulting in death. As an ex employee I remember many of my co workers including myself getting some kind of injury, but the worst injury is when other Maltese call the dockyard workers bludgers. I have seen some of the MLP best supporters working there and believe me, they did some real work. You will always find a minority who take advantage of the rest. So , for a while keep your wits together and pray for all who fell in the line of duty to bring home the bread for the family. Learn from the past and plan for the future. May God bless Malta and fare well in this time of financial strife. At least now there is no MDD to blame!!!!

lGalea (on 8/11/08)

Maria Gauci
You have to thank the incompetent management appointed by the Nationalist Government for that.

victor caruana (on 8/11/08)

@maria gauci

hope you are not an employee of the public sector!!!!!!!!!!!

nicholas balzan (on 8/11/08)

I wish that someday all those who find it so easy to comment on the Malta shipyards and its ex-workers would express their line of work so that we can also see if their activity is being shored with maltese taxes or receiving other support. I would ask those who find it so easy to condem the yard's ex-workers to ask local employers who are finding these persons as assets to their activity what is their opinion of these workers. I want also to see in a few months time what this event is going to do to local wages. Food for thought.

Maria Gauci (on 8/11/08)

Mr. Navarro, maybe the dockyard of your father's days should be commemorated but certainly not the dockyard I remember. However, I have the latter commemorated in a tax portion on all my payslips, politics aside!!

Dockyard deserves to be commemorated

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