On the Dot...

Someone calling herself Joanne is cold-calling people with a view to selling them a value pack of detergents. This is all in a good cause, since a part of the proceeds are being donated to a particular charity. However, when asked from where she had obtained the name and telephone number, the reply was the stock "from the telephone directory"... even when the entry is not in that person's name.

Stepping Out

A lot of building debris has been dumped on the flight of steps in Ghajnsielem, leading to the Belvedere overlooking Mgarr Harbour. This makes it both difficult and dangerous to use them. Moreover, there is an electric cable running across the ground; surely it must be removed for safety's sake.

Healthy Interest

In Britain, a new law is being enacted wherein stiff fines will be imposed on anyone who assaults members of the medical profession, for whatever reason. This is something that could well be emulated locally; perhaps other categories, such as policemen and educators, could be included too.

Home and Away

The legal framework encompassing all that is connected with domestic violence is now set. No longer will victims have to press charges for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. The legislation also seeks to protect unborn children and the elderly, as well as making it simpler for third parties to report what is happening.

Tucking Inn

Some years ago there was a hullabaloo about how junk food was being offered to children in school tuck shops; and for a time this led to disciplinary action. This ruling, however, has apparently been forgotten; items that do not even deserve the appellation food, as far away as possible from the base of the Mediterranean food pyramid, are freely sold and consumed on the school grounds.

Ducks to Water

A news clip on Super One Television recently featured a discarded bus shelter at Zabbar, underneath which some ducks were merrily nestling and waddling. One was under the impression that all colonies of ducks had been rounded up, in order to alleviate the public's fears of avian flu. Were these the ones that got away?

Road Run

This column had expressed hopes that horses would not be allowed to sully the new roads about which there has been so much fanfare. Yet, this has already happened several times; and, moreover, someone saw it fit to dribble yellow paint along junctions, in order to indicate turns for people taking part in a particular race.

Life Savers

The number of registered body organ donors stands at 55,000. This is not that many, considering the numerous campaigns held in order to encourage more people to agree to have their organs transplanted after death. Again, a plea goes out to make this an opting-out issue, so that the quality of life of many more people may be improved than is the case now.

Doctor's Ardour

Nationalist MP Michael Asciak, a medical doctor by profession, complained that certain doctors undercut their colleagues by charging patients minimally for visits. If, for mundane things such as preserves, other services, or household goods, a free market allows us to shop around, cannot this also hold true for medical care?

Safe Ways

How often do Health and Safety Officers visit schools? How often do they hand in reports about shortcomings, perhaps with suggestions as to how these may be overcome? One notes that not every school has an intercom system wired to every classroom; that access to certain areas is still free and easy; and that doors and windows contain huge, breakable glass panes on a level with children when they are at Assembly or in a playground.

Drive Way

The three main access roads to Naxxar, namely St Paul Street, Parish Street and Labour Avenue, are in such a mess and weave such a tangled web that it has become almost impossible to drive into the village. It is about time a new surface is laid. The waste separation area leaves a lot to be desired, in terms of upkeep, and sweeping seems to take place only in the immediate vicinities of the church square.

Change Over

Some outlets are already taking it for granted that €2.5 are "just about equal to Lm1"; others have their own weird, and obviously unofficial, rates of exchange. Some shop owners are still failing to comply with the pricing regulations, which insist that each item be priced separately. All this gives rise to abuse.

One Way

Parking in specified bays is helping to keep order. Enforcement is now needed to ensure that cars are parked on the left side of the road from the way traffic moves, as otherwise a driver will have to cross the flow of traffic when parking or leaving the bays, creating a traffic hazard in the process.

Beauty Spot

The place known as Chadwick Lakes is a paradise at this time of the year; the only hitch is that the road is like a lunar surface, full of holes and mud. It should be resurfaced and small parking bays constructed at intervals along the route where the space exists. Also important is to enforce a one-way system from Rabat towards Mosta to avoid traffic jams.

MultiColour

One cannot help noticing the strange colours used by some motorists instead of the proper lights laid down by regulations for light cars. It is not rare to come across yellow brake lights or red or green lights affixed to an exhaust pipe. White lights are replaced by red, blue or green ones on the headlamps and neon-coloured lights are fixed underneath some cars.