On the Dot

Perhaps the Environment and Landscapes Consortium can find the time, and staff, to trim the palm trees on Castille Square (picture) and at the War Monument end of St Anne Street in Floriana. Some of the fronds have overgrown so far into the public road that they are a danger to motorists, particularly bikers.

Niggardly Council

Probably as an economy measure, Rabat local council (is it the only one?) does not inform people turning 60 that it is in possession of their KartAnzjan. The people entitled to the card are supposed to know the council has it. The council clerk said that is the policy. He could not say who was aware of that policy, which apparently was introduced not so very long ago.

Block Voters

The more festa plinths lining the streets, the better, say the aficionados. Someone pushing a buggy, with a toddler in tow and bags of shopping attached to the handles of the pushchair, or someone navigating an electric wheelchair or the elderly and the infirm, who often have to take to the traffic-laden streets, are bound to think otherwise.

Accident Prone

It is somewhat odd for health and safety inspectors to visit building sites after an accident has occurred, especially when they would otherwise have been conspicuous by their absence on the same site since work had started. It would be interesting to find out how many visits are made, in how many sites scattered across the republic, each day, and how many firms or individuals have been booked for contraventions.

Streets of Bold

With all the ado that was made about how Paceville has been given a much-needed facelift, one would have thought that more supervision to keep it that way would be in order. The streets, and even private property, are still being used as urinals by those who cannot be bothered to walk as far as a public convenience. Empty bottles, food containers and other unmentionable garbage still find their way into gutters and, definitely, residents will not actively seek reprisals for telling perpetrators off themselves.

Tall Story

Substance abuse in the Corradino Correctional Facility has raised its ugly head again. The most obvious solution, intermittent, surprise raids by officers accompanied by ace sniffer-dogs, perhaps even during visiting hours, appears to be indicated, seeing that other measures appear to have failed.

Squared Roots

An all-pervading smell of drainage around the Mount Carmel Hospital general area in Attard has been a nauseating feature there for many months. It has been drawn to the authorities' attention, but the situation has apparently defied solution.

Low Spirits

On Sunday, July 18, a greyish haze hung over the Farsons factory and the surrounding area at Mriehel, at about 8.30 p.m. Meanwhile, from the factory chimney, black smoke was seen rising and melting into the miasma.

...Way Up High

A small bar at Hondoq ir-Rummien is currently charging Lm1 for a small bottle of lager, without any receipt being given. Adding insult to injury, customers are peremptorily told to "bring the bottle back, will you?"

Garden Lore

The tiny square between F. Busuttil Street and the old church in Birkirkara has been abandoned. The few trees supported by stakes are barely alive and the soil has dried up because only weeds grow on it. A whole colony of stray cats uses it regularly as a public convenience.

Show Piece

Attard has done the equivalent of growing too big for its boots. Not only are the peripheral areas not visited during house-blessing time at Eastertide, but several areas have not seen a street cleaner for donkey's ages. The playing field by the school also needs clearing up, so that it will be a safer and more pleasant environment for the children and grown-ups who go there.

Exchange Robbery

Hired cars remain parked for days on end, if not weeks, in the lot in front of the Stock Exchange Buildings, in Valletta. This is unethical and unfair; not only is money being paid for renting them out, for nothing, by entities that ought to take a harder look at their balance sheets, but they are also depriving individuals from using the place.

Free to Choose

The independence monument at the entrance of the Mall, in Floriana, badly needs a good scrub-down. The twisted metal base is dotted with pigeon droppings, serving as an insult to the memory of one of the greatest achievements of the nation.

Date Trip

On Wednesday, July 21, the Gozo Channel Co. timetable was there solely for delays to be based upon; the Cirkewwwa 7.45 a.m. ferry left for Gozo at 8.15 a.m. The ticket clerk had a glib reply ready; she had nothing to do with it, although it was she herself who had to face the complaining public.

Dust to Dusty

Ironically, the area around the Four Seasons Garage in Qormi is hazy with the dust churned up by each car that goes there for service from the unmade road. Damage to vehicles is being caused both on the way in (where it will presumably be repaired, adding to drivers' expenses) and on the way out (creating the set-up for an accident). This is ridiculous.

Odds Even

On July 26 it was pointed out through these columns that on the back of the new Super 5 tickets issued by Maltco Lotteries Ltd, the odds of getting three or four numbers correct are not only misleading but totally out and that the figures shown on the back of lotto tickets are correct. Maltco has since explained that the method used to work out the winning odds for Super 5 was completely different from that of lotto.