The erudite Lino Bugeja laments in lyrical fashion Malta’s insult to the Bard’s memory for snubbing his commemoration. In every sentence and in every paragraph Shakespeare’s words and phrases appeared like Hamlet’s ghost to remind us of our shame and guilt by insulting the greatest master of the English language.

Bugeja pleads for statues to be erected so that there will be no repeating the lack of commemorative activity that was commonly held elsewhere.

I am afraid he pleads in vain. Just how many streets, squares, valleys, parks, concert halls, theatres has Malta dedicated to the great men and women the Maltese public has benefited from directly or indirectly? One can mention a few examples.

Is there a poky little lane somewhere dedicated to J.S. Bach? Has Marie Curie been so honoured, a woman who contracted cancer for her work on x-rays?

There are many others who similarly deserve recognition by this insular and ungrateful nation.

Bugeja is up against the twin forces of conservatism and insularity buttressed by the media’s populist presentation of programmes that offer little that stimulates thinking processes or of didactic value.

Our culture does not seem to include reading. As a frequent user of public transport, I hardly see anyone reading. That goes for many a waiting room.

The government ought to look into the reasons why we, as a nation, read so little. If only non-readers are aware of what they are missing.