A design for an abstract monument paying tribute to former prime minister Dom Mintoff will be modified to become a ‘Monument to the Maltese people’, Times of Malta is informed.

In 2015, the Office of the Prime Minister, through Heritage Malta, had issued a direct order to artist Valerio Schembri to design the abstract monument.

However, the plans had to be changed soon after because the design was considered to be too large for Castille Square. There were also objections by Labour Party veterans and members of the Mintoff family, who insisted on a traditional effigy of the former party leader.

Times of Malta sought details from the government on the new ‘Monument to the Maltese people’ but none were forthcoming.

A spokesman only said: “'Monument to the Maltese people' is just a working title and does not in any way reflect the inspiration and the scope of the installation”.

‘Monument to the Maltese people’ is just a working title

Asked whether the €95,000 price tag mentioned in connection with the original design covered the cost of the finished abstract monument or just the maquette, the spokesman said: “The selection and commissioning process of the installation was identical to every other installation and monument we have on the islands.”

Plans to have the monument inaugurated in time for the completion of a refurbished Castille Square in 2015 had to be abandoned in view of complications on the project's execution.

The abstract monument was the second attempt to have a Mintoff monument in front of the Auberge de Castille.

A year earlier, Heritage Malta had selected artist Alfred Camilleri Cauchi to design a statue of Mintoff after a competition.

However, the artist was told his project would be discontinued as his design was not original.

Following the ‘scrapping’ of Mr Schembri’s abstract monument, a third version is now on its way.

Artist Noel Galea Basin has been given another direct order by Heritage Malta to design a new monument – this time a figurative one – to be inaugurated by the end of this year.

The former prime minister died in 2012.