On the dot

According to press reports, it turns out that Social Policy Minister was not pleased at all with the state of affairs at Gżira health centre. Since a health centre is, strictly speaking, an offshoot of a country's general hospital, one wonders whether his state of contentment increases, or decreases, in direct proportion to the main thing. It is no big deal to find X-rays that would have been lost; the important thing is to act upon the results they show, without further ado.

Blocked

The regimented crazy paving in the Cathedral Street pavements, in Sliema, will be wonderful when the whole stretch is completed. Meanwhile, the places where there are still bits and grouting missing are trip traps for the unwary, and anyone who uses wheelchairs, or baby buggies, or has mobility difficulties. Why is work not carried out in the mornings, at least when the weather is fine?

Computerised

It is pertinent to point out that tele-working is a wonderful thing because it gives the ultimate in flexitime facilities to people who cannot hold down a job when it entails so-called "office hours". Yet, one wonders how much, in these instances, the rules and regulations of the Data Protection Act are being adhered to. Everybody knows that pen drives and other removable storage devices can contain copious amounts of personal information about countless people or even highly-classified data. Are they being encrypted and/or used by just one person so that any leaks can be traced back to source?

Roadworks

It would be interesting to find out exactly how many people are owed how much in cases where lands have been expropriated for the construction of roads. It is unfortunate to note that, as in cases of income tax refunds, these sums tend to be returned to people at a much slower rate when compared to the speed requests for payments owed to government entities go through the postal system.

Footage!

A new film that is set to illustrate the perennial battle between good and evil is CMeDance. It has been called a chick flick with a taste of the hereafter. Since this is not a Hollywood release, it will probably never make it to Malta unless someone takes a personal interest in bringing it over. Who will take the responsibility even if this has to be for restricted viewing in youth groups etc?

Waterfalls

This column has long been suggesting that politicians re-enact the scene where they jump into the briny in order to prove that the water is not polluted. The Parliamentary Secretary for Youths and Sport, Clyde Puli has just done this, albeit for a different cause and reason from the one indicated. One wonders whether any of his colleagues will be following suit. After they do this, they might as well try journeying around Valletta in a wheelchair. This, too, has been done once before.

Banking

An e-mail making the round states that keying in one's PIN number in reverse, when one is using an ATM machine under threat, will indicate that the transaction is being made under duress. When contacted, the two major banks denied this, both stating that it is a hoax. The logic which ought to indicate this, for all that, is very simple: any four-digit number, used as a PIN, and used in reverse, is highly likely to be the of another card, and as such, would only indicate to the machine that an error has been made.

Humanities

Accidents on construction sites merit, and get, extensive coverage in the media. Yet, the needless deaths go on, mostly because safety equipment is not used when and where necessary. However, it is not only for the abysmal lack of safety gear and illegal workers for which the law must watch out. A quick visit to many of these places on school days will reveal that a number of children are "helping out" in the work. One wonders whether all these have been given exemption from the Director of Education.

Bittersweet

A packet of mints from a shop in Tower Road, Sliema may be bought for 51c. The same brand sells from another shop, in another street, but also at Sliema, for 60c, thereby increasing the original by 17 per cent. However, at Paceville, the same item is sold at 65c, at a 27 per cent increase upon the cheapest price. This is the fascinating, frustrating side of price liberalisation, considering that, elsewhere, this sweet is available for 50c.

Gambling

Scratchers instant tickets have introduced yet another prospect for gambling: Zodiac instant tickets. This is quite a double whammy, encouraging as it does people to give a passing nod to their star-sign as well as gambling. The way the advertisement is worded, besides, encourages people to purchase cards for the astrological signs of their family and other people.

Visiting

It would seem that some GPs charge overtime rates even for weekday morning visits and not only for those made after 8 p.m. or on weekends. A case in point is the doctor who charged a couple of octogenarians €21 for one house call when both of them were down with a bad cold.

Donations

It is high time that organ donations be made an opt-out issue rather than one where those willing to donate organs would have to carry a card indicating their preferences around with them all the time. It is a pity that posthumous organ donation is such a rare thing that, when it happens, it makes the news. More education is needed about this issue across all media and not just a few.

Communication

It would be a good idea were Go to remove the useless telephone booth situated in Msida Marina. Nobody appears to be using it, anyway, and its sole purpose is to block the view of bus drivers going to Valletta when it comes to those passengers waiting at the bus shelter situated just behind it.