Sir Anthony has passed on to the Spirit World where hopefully he can now roam freely, irrespective of age and other human obstacles. However, he has left us a public human legacy which we do well to ponder upon: -

1. Anthony Mamo had the unique positions of being the first and last Maltese Governor General between 1971 to 1974 (Mintoff’s Years); the first President of the Republic of Malta from 1974 to 1976 (Mintoff’s Years); the only President hitherto not connected with the circles of the inner circles of the circles of our two main political parties; a President of the Court of Appeal and Chief Justice who both during his tenure of office and afterwards till his human death kept humbly aloof from all public comment and unnecessary social intermingling; a knighted gentleman who once out of public life stayed determinedly out of it thus, freezing his most honorable and exemplary lifestyle in a historical, memorable niche.

2. Sir Anthony never attempted to establish some form of dynasty for his immediate family, neither by way of his children, his extended family and related persons. For 12 years he resided in an elderly people’s Home - more democratic in a republic this cannot go! His dedication to his law students particularly in Criminal Law is well-recorded. Though I did not have the privilege of having him as a lecturer, obviously studying and consulting his enshrined and entrenched Criminal Law Notes was inevitable as occurs with all Criminal Law students.

3. Sir Anthony should serve as a constant beacon as to what a lecturer should be like: (i) knowing his subject-matter; (ii) keeping oneself adjourned in one’s specialization field; (iii) attending lectures on time out of respect for one’s students and as a reminder that without discipline one will never get along; (iv) being well-prepared and ready to reply to questions related to the lecture’s theme; and (v) contributing to future generations your knowledgeable grasp of your subject-matter. This was Professor Sir Anthony Mamo as a well-versed and much-respected lecturer.

4. Sir Anthony played a key role in Malta’s infrastructural evolution, by way of his studious in-depth evaluation of the law, the latter’s crucial role in a society`s development, his reserved behaviour as an Adjudicator of fellow man’s misbehaviour, his profound judgments, his mastery of Malta’s position in its constitutional growth from a colony to self-government to constitutional monarchy to a Republic: in all these roles, Sir Anthony shone without obscuring anyone, by and large staying mostly in the shadows rather than in the sunshine of important events he so much contributed to their materialization.

5. Sir Anthony Mamo passed over to what we believe is a better, arrogant-less and uncorrupt Spirit World. Among us until we too cross over, President Mamo will live through his enriched example, apart from any worldly monument Malta undoubtedly will erect.

Emmy Bezzina

Leader – Alpha Liberal Democratic Party

[email protected]