Nearly four months after it being pointed out in this column, the shambolic area in Mensija, San Gwann, remains as it was, without either Mepa or the St Julians council having done anything about it. Work on the building site which began in January has stopped and there is easy access to the site.
Palmed Off
One of the palms in Triq il-Kukkanja, Sta Venera, just outside the Department for Consumer Affairs, appears to have been stricken by some kind of blight. It must be seen to immediately, before the sickness spreads to the other plants in the area.
Bench Mark
Seating provided at the newly-paved site on John's Square, in Valletta, was meant to provide an ideal resting place for tourists and Republic Street patrons alike. However, one notes that the benches have become unusable because they were almost immediately plastered with pigeon droppings. Pity, considering the hefty expense that must have been incurred to set them up.
New Location
It is logical to surmise that it was not the location of the general hospital we needed to change but the system within which it works. People are still called for appointments in sets, scheduled for the same time, and being seen is still on a first-come-first-served basis, queues for medication are as long and time-consuming as they ever were.
Bitter Pill
It is, of course, galling to be told, after having spent up to two hours queuing, that one's prescription medications are out of stock, or available only from another clinic - especially if one does not own private transport. At this point, one can either decide to go without, risking one's health, or to purchase the items from the "pharmacy of one's choice", where the phrase does begin to have some meaning.
Parking Area
The complaints, of course, also include the exorbitant parking fees being charged. People who cannot take the bus for several reasons are now asking friends to drop them off and to pick them up again, both if they are outpatients, or visitors, in order to avoid having to pay the standard rates.
Muddy Waters
Not too many politicians go skin-diving, or even simply swimming, in the wintertime. This is why, perhaps, one rarely hears whether the waters in certain bays are pollution-free - unless this happens because it is assumed that rainwater dilutes any sewage or other pollutants present. One would have thought that the seafloor flora and fauna were to be protected at all times.
Roaming Pirates
Occasionally hawkers and other vendors are held after illegal copies of audio-visual material are allegedly found in their possession. One wonders: How often are checks made to verify the authenticity of material being rented out by outlets that offer "fantastic deals"?
Pigeon Toes
Just across the road from the Floriana local council offices, pigeons still congregate for the simple reason that food is left for them or for stray cats. Is it possible that people who are regularly seen at Floriana and Valletta toting carrier bags with food are not aware of the laws about polluting public places? How many of them actually retrace their steps and collect any scarps left to ensure that rats and mice do not pick off what is left during the night?
Clean Up
The Christmas lights look great on the elegant lamp-posts lining Girolamo Cassar Avenue leading to the Office of the Prime Minister in Valletta. Pity that some of the rubbish bins installed not that long ago are already in a very shabby state and that road sweeping there leaves a lot to be desired.
Explosive Issue
Every time there is an accident connected with pyrotechnics, a furore arises to the effect that this art, science and hobby is a dangerous one and that it ought to be more stringently regulated at law. Soon after, until the next death or injury, the fuss dies down. This, like hunting, is another issue that no incumbent government will tackle at grassroots level.