Signals sent via text messages up in smoke

Let me see if I understand this correctly. In the past, the Malta transport Authority (ADT) had failed miserably to bring vehicles to book that had been reported via text messages, notably one bus had been reported so many times it caused a furore last year in these pages.

All well and good, the ADT, with its tail between its legs, promised to do better.

Now we learn, through an independent report, that the public text messages were not being addressed, the implication of which is that the ADT would not have come clean and advised the public to stop wasting its money on SMS messages had it not been otherwise discovered.

The latest laughable spin is that the ADT will follow up as soon as a new more efficient reporting system is in place.

To cap it all, the ADT chappies think the SMS alerts system was a great success at raising public awareness! Here's a news flash. The public were already aware about pollution and they were chocking on it; that's why they sent the reports in, so that the ADT or someone in government entrusted to do so would do something about it.

What the emission alerts system was really great at, was taking the public for a ride. Frankly, either heads should roll or I'd rather have a refund.