Desmond Zammit Marmará (October 11) must be congratulated for explaining why the George Cross should be retained on the Maltese flag.

The George Cross is our heritage and we, the people of Malta, should be proud to have received it.

After the award to Malta, in 1942, the George Cross was inserted on a blue canton in the basic vertical bi-colour of the Maltese flag, which is white in the hoist and red in the fly. Then, in 1964, when this island became independent, the blue canton was removed, however, the George Cross remained.

It was still retained in 1974, when Malta became a Republic and, since 2004, the flag with the George Cross on it, has been flying among those of the countries members of the European Union.

The Maltese flag should retain the George Cross for posterity.