Replying to a question by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo in Parliament on Monday, Environment Minister George Pullicino said an old patrol boat, which will be renamed Wenzu, is soon to be scuttled to join an old boat, Rozi, on the seabed off Cirkewwa, thus renewing the old Wenzu and Rozi of Maltese legendary fame. (See “Wenzu and Rozi together on the seabed” – TMID, 9 May).

But further research by this newspaper has revealed the minister got his facts all twisted up. It is not an old patrol boat that was going to be renamed Wenzu.

The minister’s implication that an old patrol boat was going to be given a name like Wenzu caused hilarity and even some anger in the armed forces.

The facts are that around four years ago an application was submitted to MEPA to scuttle a small fishing trawler named Hannibal off Cirkewwa. The application said that once Hannibal goes under water it would become the property of the diving community and it was suggested its name be changed to Wenzu so as to have Wenzu on one side and Rozi on the other.

But then the armed forces decided to scuttle two old Kondor patrol boats, P29 and P31, so the old MEPA application was changed with the name being substituted and everything else left the same regarding the site and the depth. The change was done this way so as to curb any lengthening of procedures that MEPA could enforce.

The end result is that the Hannibal is still behind the potato shed in Marsa; it is hoped another site will be found for her and that she will keep her name after she is scuttled.