Valletta's neglected pavements

Massimo Farrugia is to be commended for bringing to the notice of readers (August 30) the sorry plight of our beloved capital. What I do not agree with is the title. It should have been named "Shabby Valletta".

The lord mayor passed the buck on "irresponsible people (who) often took advantage of the fact that the authorities cleared these spots." I fully agree with this and this abuse should certainly be curbed and the culprits brought to book, but refuse can be cleared in no time with no permanent after-effects.

How much more irresponsible is the Valletta local council to leave the pavements in Merchants Street, from Theatre to St John streets - both sides - in the pitiful state they have been for years.

And what about Theatre Street right down to Old Bakery Street and South Street from Wembley Stores down to the GWU headquarters - and I could go on and on - the list is endless!

It was reported late last year that work would have been started in January this year on the Merchants/St John streets and St John Square site. Eight months have passed, and still not a sign. Would it be so much trouble to cover up the potholes and smashed slabs, in the meantime?

The only part which is in a good state is that in front of Piccinino and Petrolea Bazaar - which was redone at their expense!

What has the council done in its term of office? Play cowboys over parking spaces at Castille place? Organise various musical/cultural events? No doubt this was good for the name of Valletta. But where and what did we gain - in anything? Our pavements and streets are in a horrible state - in shambles - and we (particularly the seniors) risk our limbs everyday.

Why was the money forked out (hard earned taxpayers' money) for these events not used instead to patch, at least temporarily, our pavements? Have they conveniently forgotten that Merchants Street is, next to Republic Street, the most important street in Valletta, which is frequented by thousands of people, both locals and tourists (have they also forgotten the tourists!) all year round. Do they (the council) expect our vote next time? No way!

Come next March, I invite and entreat the residents of our beloved Valletta, particularly the senior citizens, to register our utter dismay and disgust by not voting in the council elections!

That piece of plasticised paper - the vote - will be the only evidence we will have in hand to prove that we are not idiots - and that we protest with all our might and that we have certainly not been taken in!