Malta navy shipyard in private hands according to the Dutch newspaper De Waarheid dated 28 February 1959

An item reported that on the navy shipyard at La Valletta, Malta a day earlier the workmen protested because 6,000 of the 12,000 men were to be discharged as a result of the sale of the shipyard to the British private firm Bailey. The shipyard was sold by the British Admiralty lacking enough work. The transfer was done without knowledge of the government of Malta. The police reacted furiously with against the men throwing with stones.