Monopoly Malta is to be published in November 2008 and is to include 22 Localities from the Maltese islands, as well as references to local culture including village feasts and traditional Maltese life within the customized Chance and Community Chest cards.

Whilst Monopoly Malta is in Maltese, it does include full English translations to make it accessible to English speaking people all over the world.

Home Page: http://www.gamebox.com.mt

Monopoly lover Sabrina Mulligan, the brains behind the Malta edition, admitted to having been overwhelmed by the overwhelming response of the people, most of whom want to ensure that their locality makes it to the board game.

"People have taken it very much at heart," she said, adding that more men than women were phoning in to try and get their locality included.

Some Qormi people have taken the endeavour so seriously that they even called to ask whether it would be possible to have both of the locality's parishes on the board. With this in mind it was decided that the 15-strong board - made up of people from various sectors, including tourism, the environment, culture, the media and the property market - who will be deciding which localities to include will be taking people's suggestions into consideration. In fact, 10 per cent of the vote will be based on recommendations and people are being encouraged to send their suggestions to be read to the board during the decisive meeting on May 30.

"Many of the people who contacted us did not simply stop at saying that they wanted their locality to be included but went into detail to explain why they felt this should happen," Ms Mulligan explained.

Recommendations for localities to be included in the Monopoly Malta edition can be sent either by e-mail on info@monopoly malta.com or by post to Monopoly Malta, Brainbox, 152 Office 7, Naxxar Road, San Ġwann by mid-day on May 29.

The board is also considering the localities' historic aspect, how easily recognisable they are, their market value and international connections.

Ms Mulligan said plans are in motion to customise at least one of the tokens with which the game is played for the 200 special edition games targeted mainly toward collectors. Suggestions have been made to use the statue of the fat lady, a karrozzin or a Maltese bus as the customised token.

A televised charity event to be held in September will see contractors putting their own money on the table and doing what they know best - build property in the land of make-believe.

Ms Mulligan said that eight photographers will be chosen to shoot pictures of the eight images that will be on the side of the box of the local edition.

Agreements to distribute the game, expected to be priced at about €50 (Lm21.47), in both Australia and the US, have been reached and Ms Mulligan said others covering Canada and the UK were being finalised.