I would like to endorse the comments made in the letter Sir Paul Boffa by Frank Sammut (December 31).

Dr Boffa contributed a lot to the emancipation of the Maltese when illiteracy was rife in Malta and Gozo. Throughout a lifetime of service to our people, he was an avante garde statesman, honest and upright in his ways and actions, based on Catholic principles. Malta is indebted to him. He had more than merely short-term aims and he quite rightly realised that Malta and Gozo would not support a large population. What would have been the situation had the post-war emigration not taken place?

Malta depended for its survival on close co-ordination of effort: the civil service, teachers, workers and many others. The post-war period was in some respects an awesome responsibility and I remember that in his attitude, he tried to bridge the gap which existed between various factions and campaigned for more effort. He used at the time to mention that rights should go hand in hand with duties.

When during the horrifying bombing of World War II, the area of the Grand Harbour was in fearful peril and thousands of houses were in ruins, he was an inspiration to those who served under him and the various teams were instrumental in the saving of a large number of civilians. He and his officers sustained the people so they could survive the ordeal. He contributed towards the fact that Malta survived.

As Mr Sammut pointed out, it is indeed a shame that the title Sir is not inscribed on his monument. Many Maltese are disgusted about this fact.

A final point. Together with Lord Strickland, Dr Boffa had campaigned in the late 1920s for the building of St Luke's Hospital. Need I say more?

I must add that I am not in any way involved in politics.