The best advertisements for Malta

Nick Reeves of London writes (June 15) to the effect that the UK view of Malta is one of an austerely beautiful island ruined by untrammelled building and neglected environment. He is correct of course but I too am British, knowing Malta well and cannot visualise those or many other shortcomings being rectified - even though Mr Reeves, the Malta Tourist Authority and such as myself wring our respective hands at being aware of the great potential of Malta as a high-class tourist resort.

The MTA delivers little besides platitudes however, and might as well be dissolved for all the good that it does. The money saved could be deployed in practical forms of enhancing Malta for the benefit of both visitors and inhabitants. If one has to be specific then I might suggest matters of convenience - that is the provision of superb public toilets manned by well-paid, efficient attendants.

The best (and free) advertisements directed towards prospective tourists are travellers' tales and worse things could be said of an island holiday resort than that its public lavatories were the wonder and envy of the world.