I totally disagree with Carmel Meilak's idea of replacing the George Cross with the eight pointed cross of the Knights of St John. Removing the George Cross which was earned by such hardship and suffering would be a gross insult to those that earned it when Malta received the admiration of the world for not succumbing to the might of the evil war machines of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. No one has any right to remove or refuse anything which he himself did not earn.

If the eight pointed cross of the Knights of St John represents charity, as Mr Meilak rightly says, then the George Cross surely represents that for which it was truly awarded to Malta - bravery and courage of the highest order and valour by civilians - by Maltese! Moreover the George Cross was awarded to an island nation that except for the few Fascist Maltese was united and therefore the George Cross on our national flag also represents unity.

Mr Meilak writes of the many good deeds that the Knights originally performed and I do not dispute this. However, I would also like to add that the Knights not only did not wish to come here in the first place, but when Napoleon arrived in June 1798 they gave up the islands without a fight, leaving the Maltese in the lurch.

Moreover, when the besieged French garrison subsequently surrendered and Malta was to revert back to the Knights, the Maltese of those days preferred not to have them return; the rest is history.

Comparing Malta with other nations that were either absorbed by other nations or else ceased to exist as a valid argument for changing our national flag does not make sense; Malta has neither been absorbed nor has it ceased to be a nation.

Neither does comparing our flag with the flag of the United States of America make any sense, since the latter's flag was designed from inception to represent the many states that make up that great land.

Mr Meilak asks if we are too proud to make this change. I for one say that yes, I am proud that the George Cross is emblazoned on our national flag and would indeed feel very saddened if ever it were removed.