On the dot

Summer is around the corner and the influx of tourists has already started. Yet, a good number of them, as well as locals, find themselves driving around in circles because of the dearth of street signage to indicate directions to lesser-known towns and villages. One hopes this will be remedied.

Car Lot

Since when have Sir Luigi Preziosi Street and Sir Luigi Preziosi Square, Floriana, both public property, become regular parking places for heavy vehicles and a distribution point of merchandise? Who authorised this state of affairs? Precious parking places are being unjustly and illegally usurped. In addition, residents also report that in the dead of night cars are being dismantled and dumped in the vicinity to be eventually transported at the expense of the taxpayer.

Miracle Cures

Pharmaceutical companies and their advertising agents ought to take a broader view of their potential audiences. Some publicity campaigns border on panic-mongering, to the extent that people will go through financial hardship to make use of the product or service being advertised, whether or not there is actually a need for it.

Address Unknown

And while on the subject of advertising, one notes that a popular product, sent as a mail-shot to several households, included an e-mail address in the literature accompanying it. However, people using it to enquire for information about the product have found that it does not exist. So far, no retractions or corrections have been made in the media.

Day Trip

The 12.30 p.m. bus from Valletta to Żurrieq on May 31 broke down on coming up the hill from Marsa to Luqa. The driver simply told the full load of passengers to alight and wait for the next bus, refusing to call for a new one to replace him. Everyone was left waiting in the midday sun until the next scheduled bus arrived.

Third Degree

The Italian proverb says that when there are two litigants, the third party will be the lucky one. However, in the dispute between the Malta Academic Staff Association and the Malta Union of Teachers, the third part, the students, are actually the ones who will not be profiting. After the tension in the run-up to their exams, they're now being used as pawns in this kafuffle.

Sea This

The Department for Environmental Health has recently notified the public that the beach in front of Bay Square (site code C 26), in Buġibba is once again fit for bathing "following repeated sampling of seawater carried out on a daily basis during the last days". This is good news - up to a certain extent. For the public has not been told what caused the pollution and this long before people started to use the beach. Was it a case of leaking drainage, or illegal dumping of materials, or anything else, which caused the pollution in the first place?

Land's End

Smoking is forbidden in public places and, of course, a private vehicle is not one of them. However, drivers who smoke absolutely cannot keep their eyes on the road and both hands on the steering wheel, at all times. This is physically impossible.

Card Games

It would be nice for mobile telephony companies to make an extra feature available in their online dealings with the public. Many would appreciate it if it were possible to purchase a card and then top up one's mobile telephone through the site. At present, one may use one's bank account to actuate this but not everyone may be in a position to do so.

Lights On

On June 6, the Marsamxetto Bastions Floodlights were on at 6.30 p.m. and until June 8 the situation still obtained. This is a waste of energy and taxpayers' money as well as a blot on the environment. One hopes that whoever is in charge of the timers re-sets them adequately.

Call Me!

Go telephony is conducting a survey on their customer service. Callers have to reply to a few questions by pressing keys on their telephone set to indicate the relevant replies. However, when complying, one finds that the first words of the following question are obliterated by the beep of the digit being pressed. This makes the survey confusing and partly incomprehensible.

Class Act

Banks continue to regale customers with wide-screen televisions sets - and piped music that is totally at odds with what is being shown. It would be nice of them if they ran a survey among customers to discover whether this is appreciated by them. After all, the customer is always right.

Late Show

Journalists who walk into a news conference late, even for valid reasons, are censured by the PROs in attendance. Yet, ministers and parliamentary secretaries who do so are welcome with open arms. If they decide not to turn up, moreover, they are excused by the promoters of the event. Two weights, two measures, could just be the reason for this.

Good PR

It is not only the entrance to the city that needs attention. The situation at the Grand Harbour when cruise liners sail in is at times simply pathetic. Some passengers can hardly be blamed if they fear the itinerary had skipped Malta and sailed on to some North African country! When will the tourism authorities understand that it is the product that one must work on?

No Point

There is absolutely no point any more to remind the powers-that-be that the public is still waiting to see the findings of the inquiry into the fatal police shooting at Qormi. Yet, hope springs eternal.

onthedot@timesofmalta.com