We appreciate it whenever Marsascala residents like Alex Ciantar (The Sunday Times, October 23) comment on our village in the local papers.

So, we always welcome complaints and suggestions because they act as a spur and keep us on our toes to try to always perform better. That is why Mr Ciantar’s criticism is taken in good spirit.

We realise that he, like all of us, is eager to see the playing field upgraded, embellished and brought up to the safety standards laid down by EU regulations.

However, in his eagerness to hurry things up, Mr Ciantar seems to have ignored the fact that before works begin, there is a lot of paperwork to be done and this includes applying for and receiving all necessary permits, submitting proposals, tendering the whole process and then, adjudicating the tender.

Even then, it is not quite over yet. We have to give time for appeals. In fact only last week two bidders filed a notice of appeal.

Now we have to wait another month. Following this we have to apply for funds through UIF (Mepa).

I am saying all this to show your correspondent that we are doing our utmost to begin works.

While assuring Mr Ciantar that we never expected him to apologise to any of us, we have done our duty and had embarked on the tendering process and application for the project months ago, so we have nothing to apologise for.

All we meant was that Mr Ciantar should have realised that nothing can be done if the paperwork is not finished, and in Malta that takes a rather long time.

I take this opportunity to tell him once more that if it weren’t for people like him who care for their village, our task would be much more difficult.

Citizens like him are our eyes and ears in every corner of Marsascala and they are the ones who show the way.