Negligent car owners are parking their vehicles every which way, both at the Central Bank's Annexe and in Freedom Square, Valletta. The Valletta police say they cannot fine such car owners as no road markings exist in these areas, so egoistic motorists seem to abuse of it and park their vehicles carelessly. This could easily be remedied if lines are drawn forthwith. Meanwhile, owners frequently needlessly damage their cars in trying to slalom their way out of these nightmare parking zones.

Smelly

An all-pervading smell of drainage has been extant in the Spencer Gardens and Spencer Hill area for quite some time now. Is it possible that nothing may be done to trace the source and clear the air, literally and figuratively? There is a notice at the entrance to the garden that says: "Thank you for keeping the place clean". However, the pollution in the air certainly is not helping do this.

Voting

Residents of member countries of the European Union are being asked to select one of three "organic produce" logos. The one garnering most votes will be used throughout the EU. Going to the Maltese version of the EU site, however, is rather disappointing because one is told that the voting may only take place on the English-language page. This is what happens when one visits the pages of other languages, too.

Posted

During Christmastide many people who usually post letters into a pillar-box need to go to the post office in order to send gifts or souvenirs to their loved ones abroad. One notices a great dearth of chairs in the waiting areas of branch post offices. Moreover, people are sometimes directed to wait outside rather than forming a zig-zag chain inside, with everyone remembering the person in front of him. This gets very uncomfortable in the cold and rain.

Saluted

The big empty space that is St George's Square, in Valletta has finally been inaugurated. Alas, rather than giving the Sette Giugno monument pride of place, in the centre, and not leaving it in the corner where it had been shunted before, it has now been removed altogether. Moreover, the state broadcaster reported in its news bulletin that after the national salute by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Malta, children rushed into the square to collect the spent cartridges "as a memento". Where were the health and safety people?

Holed

Several people alight at the bus stop at Blata l-Bajda, across the road from the MUSEUM chapel, in order to go to Marsa and catch different buses, without going all the way to Portes des Bombes or Valletta. The first thing they notice when they put their used bus ticket in the bin at the corner of the tiny slope is that it falls straight through because there is no lining for the bottom of the container that ought to have a bin inside it. Sometimes food wrappers catch the tickets and sometimes not.

Bins

Meanwhile, one wonders what the use is of encouraging children to use bins if it is par for the course that such containers near the entrances and exits to schools are very often full to the brim. Sometimes there is more rubbish around the bin than inside it. More bins, or the present ones being emptied more often, would surely help.

Payments

Prank calls cost almost €60,000 last year; some of the expenses included those involved in sending out fire engines without cause or reason. One cannot understand how it is that only rarely is someone caught and prosecuted. Surely not all calls are made from public call boxes? One way of checking whether the emergency exists is through the caller being asked for a number and being called back immediately s/he hangs up. A false alarm should carry harsh penalties at law, such that others who are tempted to make prank calls are discouraged from doing so.

Wasted

Every year, hundreds of tonnes of olives are wasted because no one thinks to cull them from wayside trees and others growing in public gardens or the cemeteries. Moreover, when the branches overlook pavements and streets, the fruits that fall stain the ground and make it look terrible.

Trees

Trees must be pruned every year. When they are not, they grow higher and, in order to bring them back to some semblance of suitability for residential areas, they get branches chopped off willy-nilly when someone actually decides they must be seen to. Incidentally, it is not enough to cull palm branches, the trunk must be neatened too, especially as some of the fronds keep on growing after the plumes would have been lopped off, presenting an uneven picture and a dangerous situation.

Circus

One of the excuses for the existence of a circus is that the animals were bred in captivity and could not, therefore, function in the wild were they set free. The fact remains that there is no reason why these had to be born that way, had their forbears been allowed to live in freedom in the first place. Moreover, there do exist circuses where all the performers are humans who spend hours a day practising without relying on animals to highlight how clever they are in training them.