The head of the University of Malta`s Literacy Unit, Charles Mifsud, has called for a systematic, nationwide campaign to promote positive reading habits, spearheaded by government agencies but with the full support of publishers, schools, local councils, private companies and others.

Dr Mifsud was answering questions about the data, recently reported in The Times, which show that more than half of the Maltese population does not read.

This figure, he said, was quite low compared to other countries, especially in Northern Europe where about 60 per cent read on a regular basis.

Asked why Malta`s readership levels were so low, he said it must be due to a lack of a culture in reading.

"Most of our young people find themselves in a state of semi-literacy. The little Maltese and/or English they acquire by the end of secondary school is lost when they move to the workplace where they may not have many opportunities for reading and reinforcing the little literacy they have.

Asked about prospects for future generations, he said: "It seems that the interest in reading that children have in their school years may wane unless this interest is promoted on a continuous basis through interactive and interesting book fairs (which are not simply another book sales fair with a collection of book stalls), media campaigns, and so on.

"More attractive reading material should be made available in our lending libraries. There should be systematic incentives for the production of attractive readers in Maltese for both children and adults."