February 1972. Just 40 years ago Dom Mintoff then Prime Minister of Malta had been in office for eight months, the Labour Party having come to power in June 1971. In February 1972 Mr Mintoff decided to address the Drydocks workers in Gavino Gulia Square in Cospicua.

Among other things, he urged the workers to give their part to make the Drydocks economically viable. People in the square clapped continuously during his memorable speech. He urged the workers to work more so as to compete with other workers on the mainland. His speech is still vivid with the Maltese people – he compared the local workers with those of other European countries. He told the workers that they did not even have the knowledge how to draw, let alone design, a ship. However, the climax of his speech was when he told the Drydocks workers that they did not have their genitals like the workers in the foreign countries.

Malta’s darkest period since World War II

Some workers became hysterical and clapped while the majority showed their disgust.

It is to be said that following a “stop working” decision taken by the General Workers’ Union which took place six months prior to the general elections of June 1971, the Drydocks had a debt of around Lm12 million. Mr Mintoff decided to waive off all the debt.

For all those who were still young or were not even born they must learn about those bad times which are considered as Malta’s darkest period since the World War II.