Mark Cutajar, one of the two candidates contesting the election for the post of MOC Sports Director next Thursday - the other is Cycling Association president John Zammit - yesterday said that, if elected, he would work hard to see local sports levels improving consistently.

Cutajar or Zammit will be the successors of Pippo Psaila who resigned a few weeks ago after a row with the administration of the Maltese Olympic Committee.

Addressing a seminar with the theme 'my perception of sport', Cutajar told his audience, consisting mainly of members from the local sports associations or federations, but even some MOC Executive Committee members, he said he had accepted to contest for the post after being encouraged by several persons to do so.

He paid tribute to his family, especially his wife Vicky, who had also encouraged him and was giving him the backing he desired. He also thanked the headmaster of St Martin's College for giving him full support on this issue.

Cutajar said the vote of confidence he had received in the November quadrennial election of the MOC had also helped him to make up his decision to contest the post.

The presenter of the popular Monday evening One TV sport programme l-Argument and head of sport at the TV station, who is also a teacher by profession, said he had started his career in sport as a journalist where he was given an assignment by the former sports editor of this newspaper, The Malta Independent on Sunday, Henry Calleja.

He had also worked within the Amateur Swimming Association as president of Marsaxlokk. He also served in the committee of Marsaxlokk FC before being elected to the post of Director within the Maltese Olympic Committee.

He said: "Since that November election, I have been working on a project which also involves the Local Councils. I am convinced it will be a huge success as it will incorporate all levels of society, from youngsters and those 60 years plus."

Cutajar said he was happy to have someone else contesting him in this election. "Had I been the only candidate, I would have asked for a secret vote to make sure that I had the backing of the majority at the MOC. I have spoken with John Zammit and we augured each other. We are both convinced that what we are doing, is only being done in the interest of sport on these islands," he said.

Cutajar said the immediate commitments were the Games for European Small States in Cyprus, the Pescara Mediterranean Games and the Friendship Games in Trapani later this year.

But he said he was aware that there was still a lot to be done to have the athletes prepared for these events in the best way possible.

He said he intends to set up a Technical Commission which should work efficiently in the interest of local sport. He also said he would do his best to see that the MOC worked hand in hand with the Maltese Council for Sport. "Such synergy is needed. If we work together, there will definitely be an improvement in local sport standards," he claimed.

Cutajar said there was a need for such seminars to be held more frequently as these produced ideas which might be lacking within some of the associations' ranks.

Near the end of his speech, Cutajar said he also looked forward to post 2009. "We then have the Games for European Small States in Liechtenstein in 2011 and the 2012 London Olympic Games. My main target is that of trying our best to gain a first ever Olympic medal in the London Games."

He then thanked the Executive Committee of the MOC, the presidents and committees of the national associations, athletes, coaches and families who had shown confidence in him, declaring that he was convinced that he will be successful in the post, if elected.

Earlier, four speakers delivered short speeches. These were Mr L. Micallef, MFA vice-president of the Malta Football Association, Anthony Chircop, MOC Director and president of the Malta Amateur Athletics Federation, Mr Joe Caruana Curran, president of the Malta Billiards and Snooker Federation, and Pierre Cassar, general secetary of the Malta Wrestling Federation.

They spoke on the needs of local sport and what they - and the other associations - would wish to see the new Maltese Olympic Committee Director of Sport doing in the hope of being an asset to local sport.