Reading Pam Crawford’s letter (The Sunday Times of Malta, July 24) I fully endorse her view that it is high time the government introduces cremation in this small island of ours, for people who may want an alternative to burial. We are running out of land and the mentality is changing.

The government and Parliament have been brave in introducing a lot of legislation that has moved Malta into the 21st century and have put us on par with other EU countries.

Not long ago we buried my brother. It was a well-attended service and nice words were spoken, after which we made our way to the cemetery where one worker was waiting to inter the coffin.

Now my grievance on the way this was done, and not just for my brother but for everyone, is that just three slabs were removed to allow the coffin in.

My brother, from Vittoriosa, used to dive into the sea head first in his younger days, but I’m sure he would not have been happy to go into his grave the same way at a 45 degree angle.

It was very disrespectful to him and very distressing for the family to watch. It also broke rules of health and safety as the worker had no protection from head to toe. Surely they should at least be wearing a uniform.

The time has come for a more dignified way of interring our loved ones, with graves opened up fully so the coffin can go in flat, and for the option of cremation.

I set up a meeting with one of the leading undertakers in Malta to discuss cremation. He informed me that it is possible to send a loved one to be cremated to another EU country and the ashes brought back here, but at great expense and with a lot of permits from the different countries. There seems to be a lot of red tape involved.

The people here deserve an alternative, as any other EU citizen has. We want the option of burial or cremation according to the wishes of the deceased. Let’s do it now.