Thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff yesterday bid farewell to “Malta’s true father” and the man who “helped many out of poverty”.
“He did so much good… When I was at school we were removing lice from each other’s hair. Some people had torn shoes. He put an end to all of that,” said Charles Harmsworth.
As he burst into tears he recalled how Mr Mintoff had helped his father travel to the UK for medical treatment when he was sick.
A woman standing near him interrupted him and said: “If it were not for him we would not have children’s allowance and pensions.”
They were among the people who gathered along the streets through which the funeral cortege passed.
Referring to him affectionately as Il-Perit (the architect), many remembered episodes of how Mr Mintoff, who died on Monday aged 96, helped them or their relatives.
Tears streaming down her face, Carmen Fabri clutched a memorial card of her late father Saviour Stivala as she manoeuvred her way towards the hearse outside Mr Mintoff’s Tarxien home.
Thrusting the memorial card against its window, she cried: “Look what happened to your beloved Mintoff, father. You used to love him so much.”
She later explained, between sobs, that her late father had attended the same school as Mr Mintoff, and was his avid supporter.
“Mintoff saved us when he introduced disability benefits. We would have lost everything,” she said.
Religious imagery struck a common chord among different people. In the crowd at Vittoriosa, Tessie Falzon said, “God and the Holy Mother have already received Mr Mintoff with open arms”.
Ms Falzon said it was only fitting to show Mr Mintoff appreciation in death after following him all her life.
Nearby was 18-year-old Daniel Kerr, who came from Birżebbuġa to honour Mr Mintoff, even though he was too young to remember anything about the former Prime Minister’s political career.
“My mother told me a lot about him and I consider him to be the father of the nation. He did a lot for us and now we must pay our respects,” he said.
In front of the Church of St Lawrence, a black-clad, visibly emotional Mary Spiteri greeted well-wishers as she awaited the arrival of the hearse carrying the man she considered her second father.
Ms Spiteri sung Tema ‘79 at the foot of the monument on Freedom Day for many years, but she acknowledged that this would be her most emotional rendition ever. And she wasn’t wrong.
She wiped tears from her eyes, sang and saluted Mr Mintoff by putting her hand on the hearse before it moved on to Victory Square.
An elderly man, Vittoriosa resident “Crazy Charlie” Caruana, accompanied the hearse through the streets in a motorised wheelchair stopping each time the hearse did to kiss the window.
On the back of the wheelchair was a message saying “Malta loves you, God loves you, Gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace”.In the Cospicua collegiate church the crowd chanted as the coffin was carried shoulder-high for a prayer service. Mother and daughter Mary Bezzina, 83, and Annie Bezzina, 65, were keen to share their thoughts.
Describing Mr Mintoff as a unique character and a fine orator, Annie believes there was never another politician like him. “Of course he made mistakes – everyone does – but the good by far outweighed the bad.”
“He loved that statue,” Mary shouted above the noise, pointing to the statue of the Immaculate Conception in the corner. “He was the only one who cared for the poor, the Maltese have lost their father. He is with Holy Mary now, praying for us.”
Additional reporting: Kim Dalli and Kurt Sansone
Singer Mary Spiteri lays her hand on the hearse as it leaves the Freedom Monument in Vittoriosa. Photo: Jason Borg
A huge crowd greets the hearse in Cospicua. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
Labour leader Joseph Muscat kisses the coffin outside party headquarters in Hamrun. Photo: Joe Camenzuli