Notary Mark Sammut (Independence, Republic, Sovereignty, April 13) attributed the following statement to me: “A national day requires a historical legitimacy in time and context. It cannot be an artifact, or an egocentric whim followed by an endorsement for Independence and Republic Days as the two national days.”
In my article, there was a full stop after “an egocentric whim”. The next sentence read thus: “Part of the appeal of Joseph Muscat’s ‘movement’ that won him the March 9 election lay in his overtures to consensus, including his commitment to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence.”
That Independence Day and Republic Day could or should be the national days was a recommendation made by the President. That was a bold unifying step as befits the moral leadership which a Head of State should embody and inspire. It may not be an ideal situation but two ‘national days’ would be better than five.
What this country has been crying out for is a national equilibrium inspired by a consensual ethic, which is based on a post-colonial understanding of its history. I have no doubt that this wish is shared both by Kevin Aquilina and Sammut. Let us put aside blind...
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