With reference to my letter ‘Dignity and Recognition’ (July 13), kindly note that I have been officially informed by the office of Grand Master Fra Matthew Festing that “the Sovereign Order is not involved in the preparation of the events being prepared on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the Great Siege” and that they are participating “as guests of the Government of Malta”.

Apparently, protocol does not allowthe Order to ignore strict adherence to the State’s diktat.

In these circumstances, the Order should be exonerated from any misdemeanour in relation to the siege city because it is the government and not the Order that is divesting Vittoriosa’s legitimate honour to host the festivities on Victory Day, September 8. However, this auspicious event will go down in the annals of the Order when, on marking an anniversary, the Grand Master failed even to pay a passing homage to the city of the siege.

In the aftermath of my abortive voice in the wilderness, I imagine those whose duty it was to protest strongly at this grave humiliation and ostracism to be hanging their heads in shame and crying to the tune of the legendary Tom Dooley for not even uttering a word of protest at this disgusting treatment.

It seems that the much-vaunted indomitable courage that, in the past, characterised this victorious city hasfizzled out like a damp squib on the altar of expediency.