The Siege Bell Memorial in lower Valletta has gone silent because of a fault in the mechanism which swings the giant bell.
Resources Minister George Pullicino said the fault, particularly with regard to the electrical part of the mechanism, was caused by sea spray. Technicians have established that it is not viable to carry out repairs and the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee is therefore in the process of replacing the mechanism.
The memorial was dedicated 19 years ago by Queen Elizabeth II and then President Censu Tabone in memory of servicemen and civilians who died in Malta or while serving on Malta convoys during the war.