Let’s not forget those people whose protection from the French invaders and looters we sought 210 years ago; those protectors that fought and died shoulder to shoulder with our forefathers in the struggle against brute force, evil things, injustice and persecution; those people that provided work for our ancestors for 170 years; that initiated the infrastructure of these islands and left us many notable buildings; that guided us in forming and cultivating our culture; those people whose passport we shared, was the envy of our neighbouring countries; who taught us what real democracy is all about; that today still represent the majority of our tourist influx; those people that dogmatised our strength, cour­age, determination, sacrifice, and valour that we showed in adversity, by decorating us with the highest insignia ever given by a sovereign nation to another.

Admittedly, they weren’t the best colonisers but then the best colonisers of other countries proved hollow and untrustworthy protectors; when­ever perfection is sought, it is very seldom achieved, if ever.

The British, in fairness to them, must never be associated with what Maltese historians, politicians and contributors to Maltese national papers refer to as ħakma, ħelsien, ktajjen, skjavitù (domination, freedom, chains and slavery), giving the impression to the uninitiated, that for 170 years this country experienced Nazism and Stalinism, when colonised by the British.

Britain gave us the Constitution we wanted, most appropriately, after we had learned to come to terms with reality and after having lost many years arguing between ourselves about the national language and other petty issues.

Britain and Malta “separated out of court” by mutual consent, on the friendliest of terms, after the Maltese nation came of age, grew wiser, having learnt to fend for its own by its own Constitution.