At the well-kept San Anton gardens, over the archway leading from the public gardens to the presidential residence, there is a clock which has been out of order for more than a year! Is it all that difficult to have this clock repaired? Its state is not at all in tune with the gardens' general appearance.

Fair Cop

Without any doubt, the police station in Floriana is one seen, if not used, by thousands of people daily, sited as it is in St Anne Street. This is all the more reason for a thorough facelift to be given it as soon as possible. It looks for all the world like something out of a Dickensian novel; a place where even the righteous feel they have committed a crime solely for being there.

Mere Details

Another police station that gives a very bad impression is the one in Fra Diego Square, Hamrun. No wonder the police serving there feel the need to appear at the doorway every so often, possibly to check on the disastrous condition of traffic in High Street and those streets bordering on to it.

Safety Foremost

What with all the fuss being made about health and safety, one would have expected more health inspectors to be doing the rounds of building sites, government departments and private enterprises, and other places. As it is, talks are organised for both young and adult bodies, and copious notes handed out; but the implementation of basic safety measures is not as quick to materialise.

Water Falls

Driving a car in the area comprising South Street, Ordnance Street and St John Street, in Valletta, is an arduous affair. Haphazard parking and the large number of pedestrians using this area daily make the area even more hazardous. Something really must be done to minimise the ever-present dangers.

Monumental Mistake

Coming out of Valletta towards the war memorial in Floriana, after dusk, one realises what a dearth of traffic lights there is. This is the case whether one approaches from the Marsamxett, City Gate, or Auberge de Castille end. Many motorists refuse to follow the rules that apply to a roundabout when in this stretch and this often leads to confusion and narrowly avoided accidents.

Special Offer

St Michael School, in Qormi organises many activities for children and the members of MUSEUM. However, despite the fact that there are many school grounds, parking is not allowed there, not even when only the other open areas in the school are being used during the activity. This means that residents have sometimes to park a long way from home, because the vans and light cars of the people attending the activity occupy all available spaces.

Black Belts

One area where plainclothes policemen could do worse than mount watch, is around the chapel dedicated to Blessed George Preca, in Blata l-Bajda. Vehicles, including heavy plant, often stop in the zones reserved for buses at their stop, on the Blata l-Bajda side, and others regularly shoot red lights, to the detriment of those who would be climbing the stairs on the Marsa side, hoping to catch a bus to Valletta as soon as possible.

Branching Out

Some historical or commemorative monuments, even if they are bang in the middle of the village square, are in the wrong place. When branches overhang them, they are liable to get deposits of bird droppings upon them. Occasionally, one does get conscientious councils that organise regular clean-ups of these memorials as a matter of course but the probability is that this will happen only when a special event warrants it.

Hot Air

Successive media and communications officers of Enemalta never cease to remind us that gas distributors are not employees of the corporation but self-employed persons. This means that, technically, they cannot be ordered to deliver cylinders to any particular area. Since there are now three depots from where one may purchase cylinders, why cannot the scheme be widened to include selected service stations?

Cover-Up

Whatever happened to the ideas of covering the prehistoric, world heritage sites of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim with a geodesic dome, or at least a protective tent? Another rainy season has started and surely the waters are not doing the fragile stones any good. Perhaps some of the structural funds to be made available by the EU could be earmarked for this.