The reporter who interviewed two Maltese soldiers (August 17) reveals she is not well informed when she writes “the Malta Sea Cadets (are) equivalent to the Malta Boy Scouts”.

The Malta Sea Cadets are a purely British organisation sponsored by the Royal Navy to train young people in naval aspects basically of a military nature, with the aim of attracting them to join the Service. The Malta Sea Cadets are affiliated to the British organisation that provides good support – they are not linked with the Armed Forces of Malta.

The Scout Association of Malta is an independent body within the World Organisation of the Scout Movement, which represents 161 countries worldwide (only six totalitarian states have no scouts), and a membership of 30 million, of all colours and creeds. This is a character-forming organisation for young people totally committed to peace and to help others. Malta was the first outside the United Kingdom to embrace the movement in 1908 after an idea  by Robert Baden-Powell who knew Malta well. Scouting is by far the largest youth organisation in Malta with a membership of nearly 3,000 – the sister movement of the Girl Guides numbers 1,200.