The changing of the guard ceremony outside the President’s Palace in Valletta was suspended, three years after being reintroduced following an absence of almost four decades, Times of Malta has learnt.
A spokesman for the Armed Forces of Malta said the suspension was “temporary” due to “other temporary commitments”.
Despite the decision, the two sentry boxes, which had been removed during carnival as the enclosure was mounted in St George’s Square, were again placed outside although they will remain unmanned for an unspecified period of time.
The spokesman said the AFM took advantage of the carnival festivities to train soldiers who usually took part in the changing of the guards ceremony, which usually takes place on the second and last Friday of every month.
“You may wish to note that the AFM took the initiative to organise training of the soldiers with the aim of improving the standard of the changing of the guards. The training is still ongoing,” the spokesman said.
No replies were forthcoming on whether President George Abela had been consulted and neither to explain what the “temporary commitments” consisted of.
The ceremony was advertised in several tourism brochures and the Malta Tourism Authority’s website. Fourteen soldiers were involved, with pairs doing sentry duties for one hour at two-hour intervals.
They usually stood between 8am and 5pm but would remain longer if the President had some official function at the palace.
The ceremony dates back to the rule of the Order of St John, when the Grand Master’s personal guard was stationed in the buildings surrounding what was then known as Piazza De La Guardia.
When the island joined the British Empire, the square became known as the Main Guard, a parade ground that also housed a garrison to guard the British governor.
It was stopped in 1971, when Dom Mintoff was prime minister but reintroduced in 2010 and more than €15,000 was spent to buy 15 special coats from the UK, as well as a new guard room, showers and locker rooms inside the palace.
The soldiers doing guard duties are usually handpicked from all regiments and spend a month standing sentry before returning to their routine duties.
mxuereb@timesofmalta.com