The Għaqda Letterarja Maltija has decided to disband and dissolve with immediate effect on January 30.

"There's no point in dragging our feet any longer as we have been doing for many years to try to save the association," the board said on Tuesday.

"We did not find a new team with the required drive and determination to keep the association alive and kicking," it said.

The association said that, although it had many good ideas, it never found the necessary resources or willpower and was left without a source of income. Even regular activities like Pinna Żagħżugħa (young pen) faced manpower problems, with only two people to supervise the 400 students who applied.

The €5,300 in the association's bank account will now be used to buy Maltese books, which will be distributed among hospital and local council libraries and voluntary organisations.