On the dot

Bus owners/drivers really have a cheek! Their responsibility is to ensure their bone-shakers do not emit toxic fumes and the ADT will see to it that those testing the buses are qualified. People in general and commuters in particular have had enough of the arrogance, in more senses than one, displayed by some bus drivers. The Transport Minister must put his foot down.

Parking lots

Finally, work on the Holy Cross Street/Bwieraq Street square, in Birkirkara has recommenced. However, it seems that the local council's designers and architects have not taken into consideration the fact that the area is used as a parking place by a number of residents, including from a nearby alley. The number of parking spaces have been reduced by at least seven. It is now hoped that the council will at least put up a sign saying no trucks can park there and take up more than one parking space.

Faulty Lines

The mish-mash of cables over Market Square, in Tarxien remains. This, despite the fact that the item about it in last week's column drew the attention of and feedback from many people who had overlooked it before, but not, apparently, of anyone who has the power to do something about it.

Paper Tigers

The people behind the selection of texts for O level Italian examination, paper A, must think themselves very hip. As a comprehension exercise, they chose a passage from the story appearing in a news item about an Italian young man who hated his parents, went to live and work in England, and even renounced their inheritance when they died. Is this the kind of choice of lifestyle to cram down teenagers' throats?

Litter Patrol

Selfishness still reigns supreme in a wide radius around any given examination centre being used for Matsec examinations. Parents who drive their kids practically up to the school gates do not then drive away. They remain inside their parked cars, reading or listening to the radio while those who arrive later have to park further and further away, resulting in children dodging in between cars when the bottleneck starts to stretch from a long way off the examination halls.

Far Out

Another complaint comes from people whose children had timetables requesting them to sit for exams at several different centres, some of which were not on the bus routes from their homes. This meant added stress for those who had no one to drive them there and a subtle feeling of disorientation through having to attend different places within a short period of time. Could these children not sit for examinations in their own secondary school?

Stone Works

PA notice 04716/06, dated September 5, 1906, is still affixed on the left-hand side of the façade of St John's Co-Cathedral, in Valletta. It refers to "Paving in front of St John's Cathedral, Valletta", with detailed plans obtainable from the Mepa offices, Floriana. Is there a misprint in the date or is the notice superfluous?

Slipped Discs

It unexpectedly rained last week and since not enough attention is being paid to clearing drains and cleaning gutters, the roads became extremely slippery after each drizzle. Not all drivers are experienced enough to control skids. When it comes to negotiating sharp bends, the situation becomes even more precarious.

Poles Apart

The Santa Venera local council introduced the limited hours parking scheme which meant that residents could hope they would finally find a place to park when they got home from work. However, before this could be activated, the local council elections returned a different set of councillors. So far, this scheme has not been implemented; residents are wondering, therefore, whether the poles indicating it ought to be removed.

Potted Lot

The green initiative taken by the owner of an establishment in Ibraġ Road, next door to the pharmacy opposite Ta' l-Ibraġ church, is commendable. However, it must be pointed out that the plants exhibited on the road, just below the pavement, are occupying a much-needed parking space along this very busy road.

Uniform Rules

Westpoint in Blacktown, a shopping centre in Western Sydney, has banned access to children in school uniform from entering it from 9.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. This has been done with a view to decreasing truancy. Alas, children now congregate elsewhere, in places that may not be as safe. One wonders what happened to the local SNAP (School Non-Attendance Phenomenon) that was undertaken some years ago and whether statistics show that truancy has levelled out, increased, or decreased.

Parking Bays

Could the ADT, or the Swieqi local council, kindly explain why there is a Reserved parking space in Triq il-Kejla, just before it opens into Ibraġ Road? The impression is that this has been provided to accommodate residents rather than to avoid accidents between cars going in different directions.

Fine Thing

A record €1 million fine was slapped on a contractor who engaged in illegal dumping. This was done by the Circuit Court of Ireland in the case of John Healy, operator of Blessington Plant Hire and Blue Bins Ltd, a waste contractor that engaged in illegal dumping over a four-year period in west Wicklow. Mr Healy collected waste from other operators in the area and then dumped it illegally on land at Dillonsdown, close to the Blessington lakes reservoir, contaminating the water. There must be a moral there, somewhere.

onthedot@timesofmalta.com