Barely a month after Dom Mintoff was re-elected to power in 1976, the American Embassy warned of Malta’s deterioration into an “Orwellian” state, according to the Kissinger Cables published this week by Wikileaks.
“We do not want, at this stage, to overdramatise the situation in which Malta finds itself following Mintoff’s narrow re-election victory. It certainly would be an exaggeration to claim that ‘1984’ has come to these islands in 1976,” reported Ambassador Robert Smith, referring to George Orwell’s dystopian vision of totalitarianism in the classic novel 1984.
For Dom Mintoff, and most Maltese, the world definitely revolves around this little island
“On the other hand, given Mintoff’s character and the fervent unquestioning support his militant followers provide him, the elements and opportunities for a miniature Maltese version of an Orwellian society are obviously available,” said the cable, dated October 15, 1976, and titled Mintoff Begins To Show His Hand.
The cable begins by saying that Mr Mintoff was beginning to display increasing signs of a determination to “turn Malta into a personal fiefdom”.
“Earlier evidence of the Prime Minister’s extreme sensitivity to criticism and intolerance of any opposition has only been reaffirmed and accentuated by a series of highly controversial manoeuvres during the past few weeks. The long-range effects of Mintoff’s more recent authoritarian antics are ominous and call into some question the future of a truly free and democratic way of life in these islands.
“While it may be premature to predict how far Mintoff might eventually go, there now appear to be few limits on his ability to ‘run’ this country just the way he wants to.
“Overtly, daily life continues quietly and peacefully here under the warm Mediterranean sun. But there are ominous shadows in the background and a large number of Maltese are very apprehensive about their future under Mintoff’s brand of ‘socialist democracy’.”
One of the reasons for alarm mentioned in the cable was the decision, taken on October 6 without any warning or explanation, for the national broadcaster to stop airing newscasts in English, after 15 years of bilingual programming.
“This latest manifestation of Mintoff’s long-standing love-hate relationship with things British effectively prohibits the non-Maltese speaking residents of this country from access to daily news broadcasts,” states the cable, questioning if Malta’s conservative English-language newspapers – “another pet hate of Mintoff” – could be the next targets.
In a cable written a month earlier, shortly after Mr Mintoff’s electoral victory, the US Ambassador reported about a press conference with foreign journalists.
“This was a typical, and revealing, Mintoffian performance,” writes Mr Smith, pointing out that, even while trying to impress visiting correspondents, Mr Mintoff could not resist flexing his muscle against defeated Nationalists and the “stupid” Europeans.
“And while he was at it, to take full credit both for working towards ‘peace’ in the Mediterranean and for serving American and Russian ‘objectives’ at the same time, can only be described as another reflection of his giant-size ego.”
“For Mintoff, and most Maltese, the world definitely revolves around this little island.
“His second term as Prime Minister doubtless will furnish many more examples of the effect on other governments caused by this incurable Mintoffian disease.”
The increasingly unflattering characterisation of Mr Mintoff after the 1976 election could have also been a response to mounting invective against the Americans by the Prime Minister during the election campaign.
In a cable dated August 24, 1976, the embassy reports a speech made by Mr Mintoff during the campaign where he “went out of his way to make a whipping boy of ‘the Americans’ for purported mistreatment of the Maltese since the end of World War II.
Mr Mintoff accused the US of giving aid to everyone in Europe except the Maltese whom they said were “Africans not Europeans”.
“Mr Mintoff’s stream-of-consciousness speeches to large Labour Party meetings often produce fanciful re-interpretations of history such as this one.
“He also is very fond of castigating ‘foreign devils’ but usually they have a British accent rather than an American one,” the cable points out in the comment section.
“This appears to be the first (but may well not be the last) occasion on which Mintoff has nominated Uncle Sam as the cause of Malta’s problems,” the cable ends.
How US viewed setting up of Air Malta and Sea Malta
The Kissinger Cables show that the Americans watched Malta’s development closely and dedicated several cables to the setting up of Air Malta and Sea Malta in the 1970s.
News of the setting up of the national carrier was welcomed in March 1973 when the US Embassy reported that this “may result in the introduction of American equipment, especially Boeing”.
A few months later, when Mr Mintoff moved a resolution to establish national shipping company Sea Malta, the Americans seemed impressed by his negotiation skills.
“Sea Malta is one more illustration of the Malta Labour Party’s administration’s ability to squeeze something for nothing out of its advocates and adversaries. In this case, the Libyan are presumably providing the capital while British and French associates are furnishing ships market and managerial expertise.”
However, in the same year, the Americans were less impressed by Mr Mintoff’s chastisement of Maltese industrialists who, he told an MLP general conference, had expected the Government to do everything for them. “Mintoff’s statements are obvious admission of his failure to attract foreign investment in any significant amounts and attempts to place the blame on Maltese industrialists for lack of new domestic investment.”