50th anniversary of independence

Abstract

50 years ago the Malta Government under Prime Minister Dr Giorgio Borg Olivier achieved independence on the 21st September 1964. and to commemorate this great political event the Independence Commemorative Stamps were issued on the 21 September 1964. Dr Carmelo Caruana instructed Mr Emvin Cremona to design a set of Independence Commemorative stamps, which were submitted and the Ministry approved them. After the referendum of May 1964, the printing was awarded through the Crown Agents, to Messrs Harrison & Sons. Proofs started coming in one after another with Mr Cremona doing the necessary re-touches. When the final proof arrived the printers demanded from the Minister the go ahead, by a certain date, as otherwise they would not be ready by September. The talks dragged up to the end of July the bill having to pass through the House of Commons and the Lords and so the Minister could not give the go ahead. [excerpt]