On the Dot

• Triq Xatbet L-Art and Ġnien Ħal-Warda in Attard are in a deplorable state. A sting of e-mails dating back from January of this year has so far achieved no results – the illegal dumping, rubbish in the streets because there is no regular cleaning, and the semi -finished reservoirs in the garden remain as if one were corresponding with a brick wall. The garden itself is the site where Punic tombs were discovered in April 2010, and it is therefore understandable that works would be held up because of the planning permits necessary in connection with the findings. However, a site which is of such archaeological importance ought to have been kept in pristine condition.

Peripheries

• Despite the delineations of swimmers’ zones in Buġibba, sea craft pick up speed when still inside them, rather than idling their engines until they are further out from the floats. This is unfair on swimmers, especially those who enjoy snorkelling, because whenever sea-scooters or motor-boats are around, they can never relax as they have to keep a look-out for speed-freaks.

Plusses

• Residents of Rabat and Dingli never fail to voice their opinions about “selfish people” from Ħamrun and places further along “their” route who use “their” buses, since, according to them, there are “hundreds” of other buses that pass through High Street and Notabile Road. This is not the point at all. Commuters are entitled to use whichever route bus they want as long as they pay the fare.

Pasty

• What is the point of adding other ingredients to basic flour, in order to make it suitable for different kinds of pastry, if the flour itself is not up to scratch? During the last few weeks, two such mixtures have been withdrawn from the market, because they were found to be tainted. This is unfair on the consumer. There is always the possibility that some of the mix might already have been used by unsuspecting consumers.

Duties

• A Swede on holiday in Britain was recently fined for leaving a baby in a pushchair while she popped into a shop to purchase a couple of items – not knowing that what was acceptable in her hometown was classified as child endangerment elsewhere. Alas, one can never know the intentions of passers-by; so perhaps the idea of issuing fines for such actions ought to be looked into further, locally.

Pedestrians

• At least 10 people have been killed in various different accidents in the air show over the Nevada Desert. And yet, a similar show is held in Malta, over residential areas. We are literally playing with fire because there is no fail-safe mechanism for fatal accidents.

Parked

• On Monday, September 20, in the morning, a warden was parked right in front of a garage in Fleur De Lys Road, Santa Venera, across the road from Borg Street. With one arm casually resting on the window frame, he was chatting – to a fellow warden – about this, that and the other. It is evident that certain regulations do not apply to everyone.

Patients

• People who live alone, and have no one to take them to and from their hospital appointments, are entitled to the services of an ambulance. However in order to avoid being a burden on the state, some choose to use the bus service. It is therefore imperative that the route to and from hospital from towns and villages is the most direct one possible; meandering routes add to the discomfort of the patients, perhaps actually making them change their minds and calling for ambulances instead.

Peril

• Another plank and another strip of plastic have been added to the precarious supports of the red house façade in the ex-Birkirkara bus terminus, across the square from the Bank of Valletta building. This is a tragedy waiting to happen, seeing that hundreds of people use the square every day, either to park or to use the business in the area. This house should be demolished forthwith.

Politics

• It is indeed a pity that some journalists seek to politicise everything. Very soon, the government will be blamed for rain falling on its own parade, and the Opposition will be blamed for failing to seed clouds to produce rain for the same occasion. A case in point is the case of Shweyga Mullah. Even if this was a staged public relations affair, does it not occur to the persons who used her story to bolster their own agendas that they are hurting the feelings of a fellow human being who direly needs help?

Dogged

• Despite the laws about cleaning up after one’s dog, owners are still seen going around with plastic bags knotted around the leashes. Often, there is a furtive look on their faces when the animal does its business, and, perceiving themselves unremarked, they move off. Would it take a DNA test to connect the dog to the mess, if a passer-by does not have a camera handy, or if there is no policeman or warden in sight with whom to lodge an instantaneous report?

Driven

• Some weeks ago, a report was made at the Santa Venera local council about cars that speed along certain streets at night in order to take a short-cut to Qormi or Marsa. To date, nothing has been done about this, and the race-track issue continues. This is unfair on the residents.