Reference is made to the article ‘Mintoff statue artist blasts OPM move – amended version of design revealed’ (August 28).

Alfred Camilleri Cauchi was informed that his proposed monument could not be chosen during a specific meeting and the reason was simple. After the competition outcome was made public, Heritage Malta received information that his work had already been proposed in another competition and was not selected, a fact which Camilleri Cauchi himself candidly admitted.

In clause 5.5 of the design contest it was clearly specified that “works must be original”.

This meant automatic disqualification, since, as specified on page 16 of the design brief (and later in clause 6.11) “the organiser shall be entitled to reject or refuse participation by the contestants for reasons, including (without limitation) where the contest entry is not complete or any provisions in the regulations and conditions is not fulfilled or adhered to by the contestant”.

This was the only technical reason why Camilleri Cauchi’s proposal could not be accepted.

No reference was ever made to “a mellower version”, as alleged by him, and the allegation that this was an excuse “to assign the project to some other artist friend” is completely unfounded.

The fact that the monument to Ċensu Tabone (part of this same design contest procedure) wasactually commissioned to Camilleri Cauchi himself, while that of Guido de Marco was commissioned to his son, Aaron, proves that there were no ulterior motives behind this decision but, rather, a technicality in the contest rules/procedures, which, if ignored, would have jeopardised the entire process.