Daddy, where are my swings? That is what my younger daughter asked me with a sad face when we walked up the footpath with the intention to use the play area in Marsalforn (near the car park).

As the photograph on the right shows, all the swings have now been removed.

This play area was only inaugurated on August 11, 2012. Fast forward nearly 13 months and these are not there anymore.

I would really appreciate if someone can explain to us what happened to the swings, which were built at the taxpayers’ cost of €1 million (timesofmalta.com, August 12, 2012).

Moreover, to my dismay, the only kid-friendly slide that was in the area was a temporary one and on which a group of 16-year-olds was playing. Kindly enough, when asked, they moved away to allow the young ones (including my daughters) to play.

But where is the local warden service that existed in the past that ensured that children of specific ages used the specific play equipment? Till I wait for such answers, I am off to console my daughter.