Żebbuġ residents are up in arms over their council’s plan to rename Bishop Francesco Saverio Caruana Street after the mayor labelled the historic clergyman “a French lackey”.
More than 80 per cent of the street’s residents have signed a petition against changing its name in honour of Frans Sammut, a leading novelist who died two years ago. Sammut made a major contribution to Maltese literature and served for many years as secretary of the Maltese language academy. He was also a known Labour supporter who used to work in the private secretariat of former Prime Minister Alfred Sant.
Mayor Alfred Grixti, supported by Labour councillors, believes Mr Sammut – who used to live in the road – deserves to have one of the best streets in his hometown dedicated to his memory.
“Bishop Caruana was an opportunist and a French lackey who didn’t deserve to become bishop,” he said.
The mayor’s position is being vehemently opposed by leading Żebbuġ figures including Archpriest Daniel Cardona, PN councillors, and former Nationalist MP and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Bonnici.
Bishop Caruana – born in Żebbuġ in 1759 – served between 1831 and 1847 during the turbulent times of the French occupation and the arrival of the British.
The road has been dedicated to him since 1901 and many have said they cannot understand the mayor’s decision.
“We have absolutely nothing against Frans Sammut and we agree that a street should be dedicated to his memory in Żebbuġ. However, there is no need to delete the memory of Żebbuġ’s only bishop. Instead, we proposed that one of the 14 streets still unnamed in Żebbuġ be dedicated for the novelist,” said PN councillor Philip Said.
Fr Cardona described Bishop Caruana as an important backer of the Żebbuġ parish’s devel-opment and an important figure in Maltese history: “His memory should be kept alive and there is no valid reason for changing the historical street’s name.”
Mayor Grixti denied he was being pressured by Mr Sammut’s wife, Carmen, incidentally a Labour councillor, and said that his stand was only dictated by historical justifications.
Times of Malta is informed that during a council meeting in June 2012, Ms Sammut objected to a proposal to name one of the new Żebbuġ roads after her late husband.
In September 2011, the council had already asked the Government’s street naming committee to do so.
However, after Ms Sammut’s opposition, the mayor said he wanted Mr Sammut to have the road in which he used to live dedicated to him.
“After all, there is already another street in Żebbuġ named after the Bishop,” Mr Grixti argued.
This claim is contested, as according to Dr Bonnici, the road Mr Grixti is referring to is called Triq l-Isqof and does not refer to Mgr Caruana.
Asked whether he is prepared to compromise over this issue, which is dividing his home town, Mr Grixti said that while he was ready to discuss it, he was still of the opinion that Mr Sammut should have ‘his’ road dedicated to his memory.
“This is a storm in a teacup being given a political twist,” Mr Grixti told Times of Malta.
“The Nationalists are trying to stir up some trouble for my council in order to divert attention from the major plans we have for the transformation of this city,” he said.