In his piece Study of electoral landscape, (TMIS, 15 April) Mr J.G. Vassallo claims: “The ‘abstentions’ vote was substantially larger than usual in the last round of local elections...”. How did Mr. Vassallo reach this conclusion?

Comparing polls like this year’s, when only local elections were held, with polls when there was concurrently a referendum or the MEP elections, does tend, of course, to artificially skew the picture, but that is not comparing like with like.

At 68 per cent, the turnout in the latest local council elections was substantially higher than that in 1997 or 1998, when it reached an all-time low of 61-62 per cent. And this year’s was the highest turnout in the last three rounds (in 2005 it was 67 per cent and last year it was 66 per cent).

As Mr. Vassallo would agree, comment is free, but facts are sacred.

Janice Chetcuti

Marsaxlokk