The statue shows Mintoff during his intellectual upbringing in Oxford. Photo: Jason Borg

Dom Mintoff will be immortalised in a calm and reflective pose, with a pipe in one hand, the other in his pocket and no big belt around his waist.

“This is Mintoff during his intellectual upbringing in Oxford,” said Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as he announced the winning design of a Labour Party competition last night.

On the first anniversary of the former Prime Minister’s death, a committee tasked with maintaining Mr Mintoff’s memory exhibited the 17 submitted designs and announced the winner: Noel Galea Bason.

Mr Galea Bason, 58, from Floriana, said he wanted to be part of one of the most important sculpture commissions in Maltese history. He said he chose to highlight Mr Mintoff’s intellectual side because that was the side most people could agree upon, even his adversaries.

Although it was tempting to go for a more fiery look, Mr Galea Bason wanted to stand out from the other submissions while moving away from the animosity Mr Mintoff sometimes inspired.

“When he died last year, even his adversaries felt his loss,” he told Times of Malta.

But like everything Mintoff related, the evening was not without controversy.

One of the more upset runners-up was seen storming out of the reception with his sculpture in his hands after noticing it had been chipped during the decision-making process.

Dr Muscat announced the winning design at the Labour Party head-quarters and said it would be completed before April.

He credited Mr Mintoff with having been the one to first conceive the concept of a political movement bringing together people from all walks of life.

He said this was also a Christian concept. St Peter and St Paul were celebrated together but while St Peter was with Christ from the beginning, St Paul was a late converter and former persecutor of Christ’s followers.

When he died last year, even his adversaries felt his loss

“The important thing is not where you start from but where you end up,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the monument was already paid for, as Mr Mintoff would have demanded, thanks to fundraising by the committee in charge.

The committee would now be releasing 96 gold medals for sale to pay for a yearly scholarship to a Maltese student.

This would be a more lasting monument to Mr Mintoff, Dr Muscat said.

Labour’s deputy leader Toni Abela said a place for the sculpture had already been identified but could not yet be named.

The Labour Party also unveiled a refurbished entrance at its headquarters yesterday.