I find the pages in The Sunday Times of Malta dealing with ‘Life’ worth reading. The article about centenarians (December 4) was particularly interesting.

Mario Garrett hit the nail on its head when writing “we need to start maintaining better records and to promote projects that monitor and engage those unique individuals so that we can learn the secrets for posterity”.

It is quite easy for us with our small population of under half a million to research our centenarians, past and present.

Earlier this year in the Times of Malta of January 25, I wrote a letter suggesting that the Department of Social Services is the ideal department to provide accurate information from the database they may have.

I also recommended that the President of Malta should be informed of anyone reaching the age of 100 in order to send them greetings on behalf of the government and people. Recently in the UK Queen Elizabeth re-introduced the practice of sending her personal greetings to Commonwealth citizens who reach 100. My grandmother was one of them in 1973.

Although I check the media for news of any local turning 100, sometimes I find it difficult from some quarters, particularly old age homes, to obtain the relative information. Relatives also often prefer to keep the matter quiet.

Data protection is also used as an excuse not to provide the information but this is absolutely unacceptable as there is nothing personal here. My questions are the following: date and place of birth; residencies during lifetime; place and date of death; whether single or married; in case of the latter whether to a local or foreigner; if any other family member reached 100.

I have to admit that my list is unfortunately not completely accurate but at least it gives a good indication. Between1900 and 1999 I have on record 89 centenarians. During the last 16 years of the 21st century, the number more than doubled, reaching 192. The figure peaked in 2012 with 20 centenarians; in 2010 there were 19 and in 2003 there were 14. I am sure the numbers may be much higher.

To be more accurate, a thorough search in the death registers of the parishes, as well as those recorded at Identity Malta, will surely help.

I appeal to the Statistics Office and the Department of Social Security to jointly gather the data.