ADT failing test of vehicle emissions

I totally concur with Ron Johnston (June 17) when he says Daniela Borg Mizzi of the ADT is being economical with the truth regarding emission tests on buses and cars.

In her letter to The Times (June 14) she claims that out of 63 buses tested in the last 12 months, 10 failed. What astonishes me about this statement is not that 10 failed, but that in 12 months, only 63 buses were tested. That's under two buses per week. It must have kept the ADT working overtime!

If she could spare the time to meet me for an hour on Mellieħa Hill, she would be able to see for herself the amount of black, noxious smoke spewed out of bus exhaust pipes (not to mention from heavy vehicles) and realise how absurd her statement is.

And what about cars? I recall some months ago that when she was a guest on Radio Malta's Familja Waħda (One Family) she proudly stated that some traffic wardens now carried emission test equipment to check cars on the road. I have yet to encounter one doing such tests.

She also claims that in the last 12 months, 1,049 vehicles reported by SMS were called up for testing, out of which 619 were checked at least once. The other 430 did not bother to show up for their test and these, she says, have a restriction imposed against their vehicle road licence which will not be renewed unless they pass a new test.

Why the wait? Why let them continue to pollute our environment? If they fail to turn up, the ADT should take them off the road and fine the drivers for failing to comply. It is this laissez-faire attitude by the Maltese authorities in general that breeds dishonesty and corruption. If there is a law, enforce it.

Finally, in her reply to the On the Dot item on June 9, Ms Borg Mizzi claims - and who are we to disbelieve her - that random checks are made on buses and cars. Again, I invite her to bring her ADT team with her to Mellieħa Hill. It should keep her very busy, especially with buses!

It is not statistics we need; these can be manipulated to give the right picture. I should know: as an ex-PR consultant of 19 years standing in the UK, I have manipulated quite a few for my clients.

What we need is action, so that we can for once be able to breathe fresh, healthy air.