On the Dot...

It seems Mosta local council is ignoring the fact that the government is doing a lot of work to implement new rules and regulations in favour of the environment. The problem has been going on for several years. From Targa Gap roundabout going down to Mosta Centre (in front of B4 Textiles) just in the corner, residents throw piles of unwanted material/rubbish (picture). Complaints were lodged and the local council was informed many times but to no avail.

Road Works

Coming uphill from Canon Road, Qormi, one can either drive towards Hamrun/Sta Venera or Mriehel, which makes this junction a very important, much-travelled one. However, the greenery in the central strip has grown to a height that obstructs the view for motorists, since it is directly in their line of vision.

Cut Off

Green sheeting was placed around the left hand entrance at City Gate, Valletta some time ago, presumably to protect passers-by given the works in progress. But for how long will this sheeting remain in place? Alas, one cannot really determine at what pace workers are at it... for they are screened off!

Front Line

The Valletta Waterfront, at least in part, is just that. How about reconstructing the wall where the multicoloured doors are visible from the back such that the enclosed space is put to better use? One suggestion is the receptions that, failing this, are to be held for several reasons by different dignitaries in the public gardens of Valletta and Floriana, thus restricting their use by the citizens who are then barred entry into their favourite recreational spots.

Sweet Reason?

The mixtures for Topping Mix and Vanilla Ice Cream Powder, sold as different products, are exactly the same, both in kind and in quantity. The only difference in the respective packaging lies in the instructions for use; the former must be used with 300ml cold water and the latter needs 350ml of water or milk, and then, obviously, frozen. That is why, perhaps, there is a slight difference in the barcodes.

Eye Contact

Not many people know that they may access the internet through computers at local council offices in different towns, just as long as they are willing to sign a register indicating certain personal details. This is especially pertinent since many public internet access phones (PIAPs) have been disabled for sometime now, owing to the fact that spare parts are unavailable. As a bonus, one gets to sit down, in pleasant surroundings, away from smog.

Book Mark

The librarian at the local council of Birkirkara goes way beyond her job description. She suggests authors and books and even provides synopsis of stories - without the denouement, of course - to encourage reluctant readers. Thank you.

Short Storey

Just inside the entrance to Sqaq il-Qasab, in Hamrun, is one of those yellow notices indicating that garbage should not be placed there, upon pain of a fine. Sure enough, immediately beneath it, there is usually a small pile of bags and remnants from cane working.

Lift Off

A lot of fuss had been made about how the lift joining the Upper Barrakka with Ta' Liesse was going to feature in the plans for the rehabilitation of Valletta, with reference to passengers from cruise liners and others who would find it handy. Then the cable car bubble burst, following which we have heard of a Lm1.5 million escalator project from Pinto Wharf to Castille. Be that as it may, the modern reconstruction of the picturesque, nostalgic, lift would have been an unmitigated success.

Sign Language

The speed camera at the Mriehel Bypass is a typical example of the "too little, too late" attitude of the authorities when it comes to road safety. It is amazing how, with traffic lights and Belisha Beacons mushrooming all over the place, no funds were forthcoming for a set to be placed somewhere along the notorious accident black spot. Even if overhead foot paths/underpasses would be more suitable and safer.

Light Work

In several countries, the only light bulbs allowed in the outside areas of private homes are frosted 25-watt ones, such that they do not interfere with starlight. The obsession with security, coupled with a penchant for showing off, has meant that several front and back gardens are now brightly lit with spotlights and festoons of bulbs.

Horse Sense

Upon entering Valletta, at about 9.30 a.m., one may see karozzin horses foaming at the mouth, even if the weather is not altogether hot, and the animal stands in the relative shade of the tree by the Benna kiosk. This patently indicates that the horses are not in peak condition, at a time when they still have a full day's work in front of them. One wonders how long it will be before one of them drops down dead on the job.

Straight and Harrow

Relatively long stretches of road, as exist in bypasses, are areas where the "SMS for cleaner air" system will definitely not work. This happens both because a car is out of sight by the time one may register its number and also because the fumes emitted by speeding vehicles make the number plates impossible to read.

Mark One

A lot of fuss has been made about how, as per EU regulations, eggs are being stamped with the letters indicating the country of origin (MT) and also four digits to indicate the farm from which they originate. This only partly sets the consumer's mind at rest; now all we need to know is when the eggs are laid.

Line Dancing

Reporting a faulty telephone line to Maltacom plc involves indicating a number - not necessarily the same one - the owner of which the company will inform that repairs have been duly made. But the service is even better than that - an employee turns up, without prior notice, on the doorstep of the household with the fault, and repairs it. But what if the residents are abroad and the fault cannot be traced on the lines outside the building? Is it only then that the other number's owner would be notified of what would have occurred?