It was precisely in early March 1979 that I saw mum and dad as excited as if they were children holding up their new toys.

I was getting married the following year and all I was concerned about was my wedding. Three days later dad had some time to spare and told me what he and mum were excited about. It seems that the British were going home on 31 March, 1979 and when I asked dad if it was a good thing he said definitely yes because we had been dominated by the British for years.

It seems that the British had made Malta their home and woe betide anyone who thought otherwise. Dad admitted that he would probably lose his job because he worked for the British but he knew that the prime minister of that time Dom Mintoff would soon find him a job. My brave dad went on to say that it was a small price to pay anyway.

31 March, 1979 came and I remember people shouting “British go home”. It was not because we did not like the British but our homeland was ours and nobody was going to take it away. Malta belonged to the Maltese and no one had the right to take it away from us. Least of all the British.

Valerie Borg

Valletta