Associations and academic bodies committed to the development of the Maltese language will not be recognising the new centre set up by the Culture Ministry.
In a statement Monday, the organisations said they agree with the National Council for the Maltese Language that the way in which the Centre for the Maltese Language was instituted by the Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government is “null and void”.
The Centre was set up without the necessary preparation and without the formal consultation process envisaged by the Maltese Language Act. The centre, under the headship of Norma Saliba, was set up to serve as the “administrative, organisational and operational organ of the National Council of the Maltese Language.”
The council has opposed the setting up of the centre.
The organisations said they have full faith in the Council and its leadership, and “we offer it our backing in this unnecessary dispute”.
“Those who truly support the development and promotion of the Maltese language do not do so by taking the law into their own hands. They do not go against the organisations that work with integrity and in a professional manner and whose members do not seek any form of monetary compensation for their work,” the organisations said.
In this context, although we cannot approve of the illegal Legal Notice which was published and we do not recognize the Centre which was set up, we welcome any initiative by Minister Owen Bonnici to give the Maltese Language Council the resources it has been requesting for many years as long as these are provided in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Maltese Language Act.
The provision of such resources would allow the Council to provide much-needed tools to all those who study and make use of our national language, the organisations said.
The statement was signed by
L-Akkademja tal-Malti
Dipartiment tal-Malti, Fakultà tal-Arti, L-Università ta’ Malta
Dipartiment tal-Malti, Ġ.F. Abela Junior College, L-Università ta' Malta
Għaqda Qarrejja tal-Provi
Inizjamed
L-Għaqda tal-Għalliema tal-Malti
L-Għaqda tal-Malti - Università