I have lived in Malta at three different times for several months since 2006. I am living here at the moment and feel that I need to at last speak up about the bus service.

I have seen very little difference in the way passengers are treated since 2006. It was horrific at times back then and it is horrific at times now. At least, it was expected given the old buses, some of which were owned by the drivers. But I expected that, with the new service, the drivers would be taught some customer service skills. That’s simply not the case.

I have seen passengers treated not only unfairly but with vitriol. Most of the passengers are foreigners. We expect that the drivers will not become angry and scream at passengers who would not be causing any problems.

The other day I saw a man screamed at by the bus driver to get off the bus (“Go down,” he was told over and over). He had attempted to pay for two adult day fares for a total of €3 with a €5 bill, which the driver would not accept because it was torn.

Here too, the passenger did not give the driver any problem. He just did not understand what he meant by “Go down”.

Actions like this by Maltese people who serve the public are counterproductive to having tourists return. It is not part of the ‘charm’ of Malta having someone in your face screaming at you.

Please Malta, get on with it. Wake up. It’s not the Renzo Piano architecture that attracts tourists. It is the way they are treated. Malta has a long way to go in this regard.

I have seen it over and over again. I have experienced it myself. It has to stop.