On the Dot

This is the last chance before the general election for the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry and the Communications and Competitiveness Ministry to prove they are accountable to the people. They have yet to release the findings of the inquiries into the fatal police shooting at Qormi and the near air miss over Żebbuġ, which, come to think of it, the Labour Party never mention!

Health Cared

Protocol issues at Mater Dei Hospital are what they used to be at St Luke's Hospital. Therefore, about the only way one may be admitted to a ward is through the emergency department, following assessment through the triage system. This means, effectively, that a misdiagnosis could result in a patient being sent home; only to be found suffering from a terminal illness within the week, by a different practitioner who orders the correct tests.

Stripe Tease

Many weeks ago, this column pointed out the fact that the zebra crossing at the end of Birkirkara Road, St Julians, was all but faded. Last week, it was given a brand new lick of paint, probably to allow people to cross safely on the way to voting in their preferred candidates on the new local council.

Free Drink

Some politicians are doing their level best to attract first-time voters. To this end, some party invitations and flyers are including tear-off coupons that entitle the bearer to free drinks - usually two or three. Surely using this type of bait is questionable!

Electoral propaganda

The majority of propaganda material being sent to homes by candidates for the local and general elections are in Maltese. What about the non-Maltese readers and speakers who have every right to make a choice on Saturday?

Name Sake

And while on the subject of political candidates, it is with mixed feelings that one notes the type of language they use during home visits, whether or not they know the political leanings of the householders. Moreover, sometimes, these people are accompanied by a throng of followers, one of whom asks personal details and takes notes.

Safety Measures

Are we all prepared to put in practice the EU law coming in force on May 9, 2008, which insists that seat belts must be provided for all children travelling to and from school in minibuses? A confirmation by the relevant ministry would be most appreciated to put parents' minds at rest that this important measure will be implemented here too along with all European countries. As it is, some vans are already noticed as being overloaded and travelling too fast.

Quick Job

In preparation for the forthcoming elections, the Sta Venera local council made it a point to patch up the surface of Triq il-Batterija, perhaps because there is no time to tear up the shoddy job and begin it from scratch. The street parallel to it, Triq il-Palazz l-Aħmar, has similarly been patched up, although this was supposed to have been taken in hand by the central government. No parking signs were not posted, so holes where cars were parked were not filled in and, moreover, the bumps, not levelled by a roller, stand proud.

Bank Draught

The fact that banks are not allowing too many people inside the premises at one go means that queues are still forming outside, even when it is not pay day. As a corollary, deposit machines and ATM machines next to entrances are often blocked and potential users have to make their way through those standing closest to them - and then try and hide the carrying out of their transaction with their bodies, when people refuse to budge just in case someone tries to jump the queue.

Sweet Bitterness

A recent item in the British press indicated that about 60,000 people with diabetes mellitus were going around unaware of the fact because their only symptoms would have been lethargy and tiredness, attributable to stress, as well as others who inadvertently kept symptoms in check because of their healthy lifestyle. Seeing that the incidence of diabetes mellitus in Malta is rather high, one wonders how often random tests are carried out on individuals to check for this condition.

Go Slow?

It would seem like the ADT, for some reason best known to them, is rather behind its usual processing rate when it comes to issuing licences and the delivery of number plates to clients. This is not fair on people who would have liked the process to go smoothly.

Long Wait

The Halland area and Victoria Gardens residents at Ta' l-Ibraġ have been asking for the proper traffic management and cleaning up of Ibraġ Road, especially in the Mekkek roundabout areas, for ages. Ironically the last time the place was seen to was a day prior to the meeting Alfred Sant held at the Halland Hotel. Residents wish such activities were held there every week.

onthedot@timesofmalta.com