The government has failed to give a breakdown of costs related to the new ‘Monument for the Maltese people’, originally designed as an abstract work of art commemorating former Prime Minster Dom Mintoff.

Questions sent to the chairman of the Grand Harbour Regeneration Project, former Labour Party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, and the Ministry for Infrastructure drew a blank despite various reminders.

The Times of Malta asked for details of the costs to produce this monument, now being mounted in the parking area opposite the Central Bank.

The monument, in the form of a large bronze eternal flame, was originally commissioned by the Office of the Prime Minister to be placed in the middle of Castille square in 2015. However, the plans were soon changed as Labour sympathisers, particularly party veterans and members of the Mintoff family, vehemently objected to an abstract work of art instead of the traditionally-figurative monument.

At first, Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar, who is responsible for the Castille Place regeneration, resisted the idea of having a figurative monument commemorating Mr Mintoff, arguing that having something abstract would be more fitting. However, the plans were changed and the original ‘flame’ monument was shot down.

Since the abstract work by architect Valerio Schembri, commissioned on the ‘eternal flame’ project, was already in hand, the government decided to recycle the work into a ‘Monument for the Maltese people’. At the same time, Heritage Malta commissioned artist Noel Galea Bason to make a proper figurative monument as a tribute to Mr Mintoff.

When contacted, Mr Schembri said he was paid €95,000 for the work he had done, adding he did not have details of all the costs related to his flame monument.

“My payment was for the concept, the maquette and the building of a large model ready for casting. It also includes the cost of eight trips to Italy in connection with the monument’s casting,” he said.

Asked how much the bronzing of the monument had cost, he said it was for the government to reply.

Mr Schembri said his work of art was an expression of energy and initiative, which could describe Mr Mintoff but also fit other political “giants” such as Eddie Fenech Adami. The Times of Malta was told that the costs of the monument were “exorbitant” due to the huge dimensions of the bronze sculpture. Sources close to the artistic world estimated that the casting alone could have easily cost taxpayers around €300,000.

The new monument has been criticised mostly by people outside the artistic world.

However, in a letter to the Times of Malta, renowned Maltese sculptor Noel Galea Bason, who is working on the Mintoff figurative monument for Castille place, described the ‘eternal flame’ project as a “monstrous, soulless and artless creation”.

Asked for his reaction, Mr Schembri said it was not right for an artist to criticise another work of art.

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