Ombudsman’s car parked in disabled space
The Ombudsman would do well to probe a little closer to home after his chauffeur-driven car was spotted parked illegally almost on a daily basis just outside his office.
The car has often been seen parked in a spot reserved for disabled drivers in St Paul Street, Valletta.
Last week, the car, a dark blue Peugeot 406, was even seen parked on a pavement frequently used by pedestrians and over a double yellow line – metres away from Auberge de Castille.
At one point on Tuesday, a local warden on the beat noticed the illegality and slapped it with a parking ticket.
Inside the vehicle is a piece of paper on the dashboard, declaring it is used to transport Chief Justice Emeritus and Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino.
Questions about the illegal parking were sent to the Ombudsman, but no replies were forthcoming by the time of going to press.
Government officials were also unable to answer questions yesterday concerning who foots the bill for parking tickets issued to government vehicles.
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Mr Victor vella
Oct 10th 2011, 13:35
Inside the vehicle is a piece of paper on the dashboard, declaring it is used to transport Chief Justice Emeritus and Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino.
Tajba din. Mur obsor. Dak ezempju. Kulhadd tikbirlu rasu go dan il-pajjiz min ghandu daqxejn ta` poter.
Mr C Galea
Oct 10th 2011, 00:28
book him
Reno Calleja
Oct 9th 2011, 21:44
It seems that Ms Micallef Cannataci and Mr. Vella do not know that sometimes I use humour wrapped in sarcasm. True soetimes the edge of my knife can be very sharp. However I assure the Ombudsman and his driver that I mean no harm
Christian Sciberras
Oct 9th 2011, 21:36
What about mechanics in George Borg Olivier Str (Victoria, Gozo) that take up a whole lane? And the *very intelligent* people that park on the other side (making a two-lane road into one)?
Ms Monica Muscat
Oct 9th 2011, 21:14
What I have noticed is that it seem that many of our drivers are becoming..... disabled. Parking bays for disabled persons are mushrooming (at least in Valletta, where I live). What sort of disability must one have to qualify. I might just think of one for myself!!! Does being in your late eighties or early nineties, make you disabled? (I am not in that age bracket, anyway!)
I was under the impression that a person, after reaching a certain age, has to undergo a yearly driving test before his licence is renewed. If this is true, how foolproof is the system of assessment? I happen to know of a driver, who drives to work from one street of Valletta to another, has wrecked a number of cars when parking, and sports a notice on his dashboard - "Disabled, over 80 years old!!" Can the authorities give a plausible explaination to this charade?
JOSEPH VELLA
Oct 9th 2011, 19:57
Mela isimġħu din. Karozza pparkeġġjata fi Triq id-Dejqa fiż-żona tar-residenti minġħajr il-permess meħtieġ u barra minn hekk kienet qieġħda tieħu spazju ta' żewġ karozzi. Ċempilt l-uffiċċju tal-Wardens u min irrispondi qaltli li biex inċempel lill-kunsill jew l-ġħassa tal-pulizija biex jġħidulhom jibġħatu Warden
Mr Anthony Borg
Oct 9th 2011, 16:40
Thank you “timesofmalta.com” for highlighting abuses to us your readers.
I would suggest to Mr.Grima to take photos of the cars which park in this sport and send them to the editor.
Law-abiding citizens are increasingly feeling that certain people can get away with impunity when breaking laws.
Mr Eric Gahn
Oct 9th 2011, 16:00
Who watches the watchers' watcher?
Charles Sammut
Oct 9th 2011, 21:52
Question is...WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS ???
Mr Peter Agius
Oct 9th 2011, 14:36
If I were the Ombudsman, I would not show my face tomorrow. Shame. Your credibility is next to zero.
Victor Vella
Oct 9th 2011, 19:03
Mr Agius, I do not agree,in any cae the arrogance of certain people who hold such a position would not let thier conscience rule.I would expect the ombudsman to have his driver pay the fine himself and publish the reciept on this saem newspaper together with an official apology.Then after this the driver is replaced. By the way , most of the drivers are police officers .
Mr Tony Camilleri
Oct 9th 2011, 13:22
What about the car dealers in Triq il-Mina ta' Hompesch and Sqaq Ġanton who occupy the whole pavement and under the pavement with their vehicles and don't leave any space for the residents? Pavement is wide enough for two cars parked side by side and a car parked there doesn't interfere with persons using the pavement but these car dealers even park their vehicles across the pavement closing it completely in a very heavy traffic main road. They also park their cars on the pavement in front of their showroom. Aren't car dealers not supposed to park their cars in the streets?
While at it, when are the authorities going to put up a central barrier to stop motorists from crossing the road to the petrol stations and the supermarket?
Hardly a week passes without several accidents taking place.
Why can vehicles going to Zabbar cross three lanes to go into the government housing estate while those going out of the housing estate cannot do the same if they are going to Żabbar?
Time for the police to take action and stop these illegalities by these car dealers and for the authorities to put up a central barrier.
Godfrey Grima
Oct 9th 2011, 12:03
I got TWO tickets for leaving my car unattended for a few minutes at a time beneath a Stop sign. Guilty as charged, and I paid my fines. But not without a fight. A GVM registered car, marked OPM on both front doors is very often parked in the same spot for entire nights until late morning. Even entire days on holidays sometimes. So I presented pictures in the tribunal. Lots of them. And, for good measure, I threw in one picture of a police assistant commissioner's service car parked in the same spot for 4 hours. The warden happens to live in the neighbourhood. But he only seems to have noticed my car. Twice! But never the numerous other occasions of defaulting more equal neighbours. The OPM have assured me that their man too gets tickets. Little consolation as, up until last week, his car was observed TWICE on the same spot.
Alan Vassallo
Oct 9th 2011, 14:05
Well 2 wrongs do not make a right in the law system unfortunately. Stupid planning of roads in this country, or the excessive amount of vehicles on the roads might be to blame, but if you do not park your car well, you well know that you are risking the fine.
John Falzon
Oct 9th 2011, 11:49
Where are the wardens?
Mr Erin Ciantar
Oct 9th 2011, 17:10
giving him tickets apparently
Mr Peter Murray
Oct 9th 2011, 11:32
The Ombudsman can always make"recommendations" about his own actions -as thats all he can do with citizens grievances when these are sustained .Why no answer though to queries regarding his ability to be disabled-or maybe its the car's driver that has a disability ?
Maria Micallef Cannataci
Oct 9th 2011, 12:50
if that's the case then he should have a blue sticker!
Mr Peter Murray
Oct 9th 2011, 21:42
Dear Maria,
I was attempting to be facetious and ,in any event,blue stickers are thrown about out like confetti at a wedding and given to virtually anyone who asks or if they are "connected".
P Mifsud
Oct 9th 2011, 10:27
Surely you mean "Space for the disabled"
George Azzopardi
Oct 9th 2011, 10:23
an example of leading by example
M Vella***
Oct 9th 2011, 08:37
Tutti Uguali, my left foot!
Reno Calleja
Oct 9th 2011, 08:18
maybe the Ombudsman and his driver have special needs
Maria Micallef Cannataci
Oct 9th 2011, 16:28
if that were the case they would have had a blue sticker and would not have got the ticket in the first place :)
Kevin Vella
Oct 9th 2011, 16:48
In that case he have to apply for the "Blue Card" at the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD).
A. Borg
Oct 9th 2011, 07:47
All men are equal, but some are more equal than others.
Mr Alfred Camenzuli
Oct 9th 2011, 07:47
Walking from Pieta to Msida on the left side of the road the pavement is always blocked by cars Vans and even trucks so we pedestrians have to walk on the road with incoming traffic to Msida, Traffic police, Wardens and Police cars keeps going as all is OK.
Anzjan
Giovann Demartino
Oct 9th 2011, 17:50
Pay a visit to the square in front of the Parish church, Birkirkara esp. in the mornings!
Giovann Demartino
Oct 9th 2011, 17:50
Pay a visit to the square in front of the Parish church, Birkirkara esp. in the mornings!