On the Dot...

The waterline walk in Marsascala is spoilt, thanks to a few careless owners who have left their old boats and rusty trailers there. The area in front of the church looks like the boatyard equivalent of a ghost town. Is it possible the local council is unable to clear up the place?

E-Proxy Voting?

It is understandable that certain entities would want to send shareholders annual audited accounts and related information. However, one notes that in cases where shareholders meetings will be held, one either has to attend personally to vote or do so through a proxy form which is then sent by post. Could not a secure system be set up where one may vote over the internet?

Green Weak

Government departments and several companies vaunt their environmentally-friendly image, partly through indicating that they collect paper for recycling. Yet, oddly enough, all correspondence is sent in spanking new marked envelopes, perhaps in an effort to further promote the corporate image. Moreover, nowhere does "made from recycled paper" feature.'

Please See

Speaking of green government: The people are still waiting to be officially told which are the ministries that do not practise green initiatives. The OPM will certainly fail to take note of this item... but not all the others!

Sales Man

We all know Austin Gatt is in command of his ministry and all the entities falling under its umbrella. Whether that is good governance or not is another matter. But was it not a bit, well, too cheeky, to have the minister "formally" announcing new, lower Gozo transport fares?

Clean Sweep

On December 2, Paola local council and members of the Paola girl guides took part in the Clean Up the World campaign. This year they tackled the general area around Saint Ubaldesca church. The mayor, Raymond Attard, and councillor Bernard Lynch coordinated this effort with gear and equipment, including safety gloves, garbage bags being supplied by the Public Cleansing Department.

Shop Talk

Every year, during Yuletide, a host of charities decide to run a fund-raising bazaar. As a result, there is a glut of such activities, with some of them running concurrently in the same area. Surely, it would make more sense for others, perhaps smaller ones, to be held sporadically throughout the year, rather than just one big event for Christmas.

Toy Town

It is illegal for toys connected with warfare to be sold. However, sometimes, this is done when the toys come under the guise of something else. Two such instances are when they are part of a game that has as its ultimate aim the compilation of points achieved through hitting set or moving targets. Another is when they come as accessories to so-called action figures.

Stamp Duty

It may or may not be true that postmen will have fewer cards to carry this year, both because of the rise in postage rates, and because people are opting to use the internet as their means of sending Christmas Greetings. Whichever the case may be, the fact remains that those who still prefer the traditional method of writing out cards in longhand and then posting them would appreciate the little help afforded by the self-adhesive stamp system that was introduced some time ago.

Second Chance

The new chairman of the PBS editorial board, John Camilleri, has made it amply clear he will not be overturning the decision taken by his acting predecessor, Dominic Fenech, on the non-transmission of L-Istorja Minn Wara l-Kwinti. This is indeed a pity. One wonders whether it will be made available on DVD so that those who would like to watch it, may purchase it and do so at their own convenience.

Police Presence

Leaving one's handbag, albeit without a purse inside it, or shopping bags, inside a car is enough to trigger off the instincts of occasional thieves. Windows are smashed in the hope of the perpetrator finding something of value to take. If, however, it is taken for granted that beat police officers are likely to appear at any moment, this type of crime would perhaps drop.

Winter Winds

In order to supplement their student grants, tertiary education students sometimes take on low-paid jobs during their holidays. This means that some unscrupulous employers seek to milk them for all they are worth without offering them adequate health and safety protection. Is enough being done to inculcate the young people with the importance of these two issues over money?

Road Works

Sleeping policemen, sometimes of a height and width that must surely go against traffic regulations, occasionally sprout apparently overnight in residential streets. The nuisance is further aggravated when they do not reach right across the road. Motorists seek to escape bumping over them by veering right to the side of the street, such that vehicles tilt at a very dangerous angle, and side windows pass dangerously close to people on the pavement.