The patriotic letter by Pierre Cauchi (September 12) reminds me of the words of a prime minister of Malta.

“The habit of some to ignore the Maltese national anthem is quite shameful. Every civilised population that has a sense of love and respect towards itself, loves and respects its country’s anthem since it is nothing but a live expression of lovely sentiments that grow and strengthen down the years.

“We should love and respect the Maltese national anthem as much as we love and respect the Maltese flag. Both are symbols that remind us of and increase our love for our country since they tie us with an insoluble bond with glorious memories and victories that Maltese accomplished in the past.

“If ever Malta had been defeated in the last war by a foreign nation, then our nationality and individuality would have ended. We would no longer be Maltese. We would have become part of another foreign country. And so, along with our nationality we would have lost our national anthem, an anthem written in Maltese, by Maltese, for Maltese…

“Each and every one  of us needs to understand that when we pay due respect to the national anthem, we will be honouring Malta and all the brave and skillful deeds our people accomplished throughout history. We should love and respect the Maltese national anthem, the anthem of a Maltese Malta.”

Those were Paul Boffa’s words and convictions in 1948, just three years after the end of WWII.