I refer to Joseph M. de' Conti Manduca's letter (October 18).

Whether the Paceville Residents' Association's meetings with the council have been wound up or not I do not know, because I did not stand for the last local elections, due to personal reasons. And I am sure the councillor given the duty of taking care of Paceville and its residents is duly doing his work.

My friends sitting on the council can recall what Mr Manduca always thought about the council, as indicated by his calling the councillors "assuming men" (zatat).

This, in my opinion, is not such a nice word to call the hundreds of councillors who, out of their own free will, and without payment, offered to represent their towns and villages and carry out this time-consuming task.

As to the works in Church Street, I remember well that the minister in charge of roads, in those days Michael Frendo, through his own department took the matter in hand in order to get the road done as quickly as possible and as good as possible. This was done with the help of the architect in charge of road works and I also remember that a special membrane was laid on top of the hard stone to make for a stronger surface.

The gaping hole that is mentioned in Mr de' Conti Manduca's letter was not in the area where the new tarmac was applied but a little further down Church Street and the blockage originated in one of the roads leading to Church Street.

And I still maintain that Mr de' Conti Manduca would, maybe, do wonders for Paceville and its residents if he offered his help to the mayor and the councillors of St Julian's and he would still be a rear engine that might push instead of pull.