On the Dot...

The tragedy of Naxxar should be an eye-opener to all, citizens and authorities. More importantly it should push each and every one of us to be vigilant; the moment we suspect something fishy is going on, let's report it immediately, even if turns out it's a false alarm. Better safe than sorry.

Open House

The Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU is holding the authorities responsible for business lost because outlets had to remain closed due to their proximity to polling stations. Fine. Alas, it seems to adopt a different attitude when there are public calls for longer opening hours, including on Sundays and public holidays - even if on a voluntary basis.

Mass Mess

Television cameras are quick to zoom in on any gathering, be it the mass meetings prior to the general election or the crowds during band marches, and so on. What they are not too keen on, however, is a follow-through at the end of the event, indicating the amount of rubbish left by the revellers who would not have bothered to take it home for disposal. For even where a number of bins are provided, these are never emptied and they are patently never enough.

Brass Buttons

Several façades of public buildings are graced with beautiful doors that are periodically spruced up with paint or varnish, as the case may be. Yet, the effect is marred because no one thinks of polishing the brass knockers, which are traditional attention-grabbers that complete the picture.

Paper Mates

It would be interesting to find out whether the election hopefuls who sent out the greatest amount of flyers and leaflets were the ones who were elected from their districts... A tentative guess would indicate that this was not the case; so it must be something else, probably attitude and personality, which induces people to vote for candidates.

Council Counsel

The majority of candidates for the local council elections never got around to visiting the people who could have voted them into office. They were probably intimidated by the idea of bumping into the Big Fish on their home visits. Since it is not the praxis for this type of candidate to hold corner meetings or other gatherings, one wonders how on earth they expected voters to know they were standing for election.

Calling Home

Why is it that calls to overseas numbers using the Ten 21 prefix cost a pittance whereas those using cellular phones are rather more expensive? Nearly all tradesmen refrain from indicating landlines, giving only cellular telephone numbers. It is the same thing when one reports a faulty landline locally, using one's mobile telephone; the resulting cost is the equivalent of several calls that could have been made from the landline had it been working.

Clothes Line

Despite several calls by this column, the majority of refuse collectors still carry out their duties in a dangerous manner. They ride hanging onto the sides of the truck and one notes that they do not wear safety shoes or gloves, or even tabards when the collection is done in the late afternoon.

Traffic Sighs

The ADT recently sent out another SMS to the effect that one ought to report vehicles that are polluting the air through emitting excessive fumes. How about introducing a system whereby one can even report selfish drivers who take up two parking bays simply so they can move their vehicle when someone for whom they would have been reserving the place turns up?

Fast Lane

Bank queues still stretch out into the road, indicating that the ones towards the beginning of the year were attributable to security measures, rather than the euro changeover. How about introducing Fast Lane, wherein people, who would only like to cash one check, would be spared the misery of waiting behind others with three or four or those who have queries and complicated transactions?

Palmed Off

The ELC could do worse than shower some TLC towards the lonely palm tree standing at the Piazzetta. The fronds need cleaning up and it would be good to know whether it had been checked for a clean bill of health from the marauding beetle wreaking havoc on similar plants.

Driven Off

It has been definitely proven that even using a hands-free mobile telephone while driving is distracting. Tests have shown that the so-called "harmless habit" is as dangerous as drink driving. Short of policemen stopping every car on the road and asking to see whether a mobile telephone is switched on, there is no way wrongdoers may be caught. What is needed is personal accountability and, perhaps, a TV awareness campaign.

Time Out

Ill and elderly people, or parents of young children, who had to put up with noise pollution on the day and on the morrow of the general election are surely owed an apology. One wonders who will deign give it.

Music Manias

And, speaking of noise pollution, who would dare bell the cat when it comes to reporting one's neighbours with regard to excessive noise emanating from households, whether from blaring radio or television sets, or from stereos? Is it worthwhile calling the police over when the chances are the culprits would be in time to lower the volume of their equipment before it the level of decibels maybe registered?

onthedot@timesofmalta.com