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Dom Mintoff
maltatoday, TUESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2012
Malta mourns ‘il-Perit’ THE news of Dom Mintoff’s death spread like wildfire on internet and prompted flash news bulletins on the main television stations. The news was broken just after 9pm by Labour deputy leader Anglu Farrugia who announced Mintoff’s death on Facebook. As online news portals carried the news, the internet was flooded with comments and tributes to the former Prime Minister. Minutes after the news broke, Labour’s One television interrupted its scheduled programmes and aired
Mourners hold vigil for Mintoff AS two police officers guarded the gates to former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff’s house in Tarxien last night, a group of people gathered and organised a vigil outside his home. Some 40 to 50 people gathered at Joanne Gardens, close to the former Premier’s home and quietly talked about the politician they followed and loved. Some recited the rosary, others cried as they held pictures of the late statesman. Among those who were seen at Mintoff’s residence were his two daughters and his brother Fr. Dionysius, while Labour Leader Joseph Muscat visited the family earlier in the evening. Former shipyard’s and General Workers Union stalwart, Sammy Meilaq was also present at the residence.
videos of Italian singer Andrea Bocelli’s Ave Maria. Minutes later, a visibly upset Labour leader Joseph Muscat was on One television to pay homage to Mintoff. As scores of people started visiting Mintoff’s residence in Tarxien, the television stations aired a series of documentaries and interviews with a number of politicians and commentators. While One television carried interviews with former Labour ministers who served under Mintoff, the PN
Net television ran a documentary portraying the ‘dark years’ of Mintoff-led Labour administrations. National broadcaster TVM screened Where Everybody’s Biografiji programme dedicated to Mintoff, produced a couple of years ago. As Facebook and other social networks were swamped with video tributes and messages of grief, vile blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia wrote a blog entitled “Glory Glory Hallelujah” in which she said “Now excuse me while I rush out to cel-
ebrate.” This was met with a glut of comments on internet, condemning the Malta Independent columnist for her blog. Mintoff has always been a divisive figure, eliciting both adulation and vilification throughout his long political career, spanning over 53 years. Recently, Mintoff’s figure stirred a great debate following the screening of Pierre Ellul’s docu-film Dear Dom. The docu-film depicted Mintoff
as a dual personality, a statesman with a sense of brinkmanship and vision but whose rule was tainted by authoritarian and despotic traits, a hero turned villain. “il-Perit” will be long remembered for his social revolution, secularism and oratory skills as much as he will be remembered for his crackdown on the university, intellectuals and his collusion with corrupt and violent personalities within his party. Saviour or anti-Christ, Mintoff’s towering figure will cast its shadow far beyond his death.
State Funeral to be announced today Government stands behind a mourning nation – PM Lawrence Gonzi FORMER Prime Minister Dom Mintoff is to be given a State Funeral. Details on the funeral are to be announced today as government representatives are expected to meet with the former Premier’s family, after having accepted Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s offer for the nation to hold a State Funeral. Contacted last night, Gonzi said that he was in contact with Mintoff’s family soon after he was informed of his predecessor’s demise. “My government stands behind a mourning nation,” the Prime Min-
ister told MaltaToday, describing Mintoff as a “determining personality who shaped Malta’s history.” He added that Mintoff embodied 50 years of Malta’s political, Constitutional, economic and social development. “It is my government’s duty to stand behind the people at this time of sorrow, and I extend my condolences to the family,” Gonzi said. In an official statement issued late last night, the Prime Minister said that Dom Mintoff was central to Maltese public life from World War II and lasted through the 20th Century.