Roads to perdition

So, The Times columnist Kenneth Zammit Tabona (April 15) would like me et al to stop writing about Where's Everybody?, JPO, Mepa and PfP for the next couple of months. He would be happy were I et al to sweep all these subjects out of sight under the carpet, so to speak. Why? Is he feeling uncomfortable living with them? In truth, he should be.

The Manuel Dimech bridge on the Regional Road - linking the north to the south of Malta - has been be re-opened even if around three weeks later than ex-Minister Jesmond Mugliett had promised its latest completion date (March 31). Now perhaps people using it will not be stuck in traffic at all times of day. One pleasant surprise on the re-opening was that the ridiculous speed limit of 45 kph has now been increased to a much more respectable 60 kph.

Another important artery that has been out of action since the second week of January is the Msida/Sliema Rue D'Argens road. It was supposed to have been ready by now but, wonder of wonders, we have been informed that another month and a half is required before this half-a-kilometre-long road will be completed ‒ which will bring us to the end of May, in the meantime causing continuous traffic jams between the new skate park and Msida on the lower part of the Regional Road.

Why do we never seem to finish road works on time?

On April 5, together with a group of 16 VIPs and journalists I flew to London, courtesy of Air Malta, and took a coach to Dover to participate in the christening of the latest MSC Cruises' "baby" - the 92,000 tonnes Poesia. It was a truly unforgettable experience in which we were entertained to a one-hour long concert by the internationally-renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, another mini-concert by the multi award winning Scottish songstress K.T. Tunstall and, finally, with the ship launching ceremony carried out by MSC's godmother, the world famous Italian actress Sophia Loren. It was also a chance for all of us to visit the towns of Dover and Canterbury. I had never visited them before and I must say I was very impressed by Dover Castle overlooking the harbour and Canterbury Cathedral, which is steeped in history and where St Thomas Becket was martyred.

There was a further surprise in store for us when, on our return to London on April 6, we found the Dover/London road as well as Heathrow Airport and the whole of London snowbound with snow as thick as 25 centimetres in places. It looked more like Christmastime than the second week of spring. Needless to say all this added to more chaos than usual at Heathrow.

A few of us decided to remain in London for another couple of days - any excuse to spend some time in what must be my favourite European capital city.

As writer Samuel Johnson once said: "When one is tired of London then one is tired of life". The ladies in the group caught up on their shopping from the Oxford Street shops, a couple of gentlemen went book browsing in Foyles in Charing Cross Road. Together with a TV crew we filmed in the snow on an open-top bus - we almost froze to death and returned shivering and numb in face and fingers to our hotel where we were revived with hot coffee spiced with whisky. A couple among us said they had partaken of a memorable meal at a Lebanese restaurant in Mayfair called Fakhreldine. The younger ones preferred eating at Wagamamas, which, I am told, is a chain of restaurants all over the UK serving Oriental food where everybody sits on large long tables as in a refectory.

On our final night four of us went to the theatre. We couldn't make our minds up whether to go and see Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera for the umpteenth time. Our wives talked us out of this so we opted to go and see the new musical that has only just opened in London's West End, The Jersey Boys. This is the true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons who had such hits as Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Big Girls Don't Cry, etc. We thoroughly enjoyed it and I definitely recommend it to anyone searching for a bit of nostalgia. One thing's for sure; it will certainly be around for more than just four seasons!

Speaking of theatre, I went to see Mor at the round auditorium of St James Cavalier. This two-act play was masterfully written and brilliantly directed by Lino Farrugia. It is a psychological nail-biting thriller which has one mesmerised right up to its chilling finale.

Well done to the professional actors who gave life to this drama - namely Mario Micallef ‒ who also produced Mor ‒ Monika Attard, Miriam Fiteni and 10-year-old Connor Church.

Finally, I bow before the courage and humility of my friend Mgr Mario Grech, the Bishop of Gozo, in his stand regarding the Lourdes Home mistreatment of children by the nuns. On more than one occasion the Bishop of Gozo has shown that not only is he an upright and exemplary pastor of his flock but that he will not tolerate any abuse. Well done "Dun Mario". Now the next step is for the nuns responsible to at least publicly apologise to the abused persons.

norman.hamilton@hotmail.com