President George Vella laid flowers on Thursday on the monument in Vittoriosa which marks the closure of the British military base in Malta in 1979. The prime minister and the leader of the opposition did not take show up, despite their participation having been listed in the official programme announced by the National Festivities Committee on Wednesday. Culture Minister Owen Bonnici represented the government instead, while PN deputy leader David Agius deputised for the PN leader. During the ceremony, President Vella inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Armed Forces of Malta. The prime minister laid a wreath on the monument on Wednesday night as part of a Labour Party activity.