On the dot

A stroll along the peaceful paths of San Anton Gardens is not supposed to end in tragedy. Yet, this is quite often the case when visitors stumble or even fall because of the several broken slabs in the trails. One does not go to a horticultural centre like San Anton to watch one's step; one goes to get pleasure from the surroundings. The excuse that roots dislodge the tracks is not good enough. Surely, methods exist to keep them in check?

Board Game

More people would have been likely to take part in the selection of localities for the new Monopoly Malta game were it possible to do so through a simple e-mail or a land-line phone call. As it is, some people are balking at having to spend 56c to decide on which town, city, village or hamlet ought to be included in this board game.

Neighbourly Votes

The arguments about whether or not Malta ought to keeptaking part in the Eurovision song festival grow sillier by the minute. This matter is being treated with such seriousness by some as to have acquired the import of a national affair. What do we do, get the whole nation to vote in a referendum?

National Colours

In any case, many people do not like the fact that a Maltese contingent is not worthy of its name because there are foreigners in it and because it does not stick together when making public appearances. These are, of course, only two of the major complaints that surround the whole issue.

Walled In

Rarely some people do decide to use reconditioned limestone slabs for building in order to give their homes a rustic look and save money. This type of recycling makes the best of a non-renewable resource. Why is it that stones from dismantled buildings are simply dumped and not made available for purchase at a subsidised price to people who actually want to buy them?

Bottled Up

A bylaw will soon be enacted in order to disallow people drinking on the streets of Paceville. This move follows several complaints from home-owners and other interested parties and obviously favours establishments that have outside terraces or access to stretches of pavements. Moreover, it is not only Paceville residents that have cause to complain about people being allowed to drink in the streets. What about places like Valletta, Buġibba, Marsascala, Sliema, and Qawra?

No Shelter

Another broiling summer and still nothing has been done about providing shelter for commuters to the City Gate Valetta bus terminus. There is a tiny time-slot (about 30 minutes) in the early afternoon when there are no buses leaving for Birkirkara or Rabat. This means that commuters have to remain in the sun not to miss their place in a queue that often becomes long enough to fill a bus.

Unpaved Pavement

The state of the public pavement at the upper part of Triq E. Giordano in Gżira, the part which joins Triq A. Sammut with Triq Reggie Miller, is in an appalling state. It has been allowed to deteriorate since the adjacent land was transformed into a storage site for building materials and for the installation of a fixed crane in connection with the construction site on the other side of the road.

Building Rules

This same pavement is covered with all sorts of construction debris, including disused water containers and old vehicle tyres acting as no-access signs. Do not regulations stipulate that a building site be enclosed with a boundary wall and gate and for appropriate hoarding with an alternative walkway? Do not t he construction site management regulations apply to this site?

Walled Out

Coming up the steps from Manwel Dimech Street to Old College Street, one notes that there is nothing holding the limestone slabs together on the side of the bridge, that is the side facing Balluta Bay. One may see right through, in between the slabs. This calls for swift action for otherwise an accident is sure to happen. How much vibration coming from the heavy vehicles that use the area (despite signs telling them not to do so) will it take to cause it?

Dog Gone

Some of the people who feed stray cats and dogs, clean up what is not eaten. The others, who do not, give animal carers a bad name. However, the fact remains that strays colonies are on the increase because they are constantly bolstered by pets that would have been abandoned by selfish owners who did not have enough time or love to lavish upon them. Unless a spaying and neutering campaign is adopted nationwide, the problem will continue to increase.

Call Sighs

People often find calls from "withheld" and "unknown" numbers on their cellular telephones. They would have been sent at a time when they would not have been able to reply. Unless this person calls again, there is no way to contact him/her. Could something not be done to fix this?

Duty Calls

Many tourists keep turning up at the post office in Valletta with sheets of stamps and sheaves of postcards, expecting to have the former exchanged into ones with the new currency to stick on the latter. Alas, they are being turned away, disappointed and disgusted. Is it possible a way out cannot be found?