Any drive aimed at encouraging people to do their bit to help make Malta look better and cleaner deserves all the support it can get for the plain truth is that, despite repeated campaigns over the years to inculcate greater civic pride, the message has not sunk in. This is a pity as Malta would have looked a greater place to live in – for Maltese and tourists alike – had the people taken more attentive care of their home.

The latest campaign, launched by 89.7 Bay Network and supported by others, including the Times of Malta, has the additional aim of encouraging people to act as great hosts to visitors. Never mind the fuss usually made by successive tourism ministers about branding and about how they are going to promote the island. If the people take greater care of the island, Malta would be a far better place than it is now and there would be no need to fret unduly about branding and such matters, for through the social media, the word of mouth is playing a key role in attracting tourists. Its value in terms of publicity counts a great deal, though this does not reduce the value of well-crafted advertising.

Eden Leisure managing director Kevin Decesare could not have put it better when he said that little things could make a big difference. They do. Generally speaking, the Maltese tend to be great hosts, so there is no need to worry about this.

The drive ought to concentrate on other vitally important matters, such as the need for greater discipline all round. Order is not exactly a word many are familiar with and this shows in the way many drivers behave on the road and in the way building contractors and event organisers disregard rules and regulations, ignoring the interests of third parties.

Ripping off visitors – and sometimes even unwary locals, too – at tourist places is difficult to check and gives Malta a bad name. There is a long list of common shortcomings that also give the island a bad name, such as when hotel accommodation does not match that advertised and paid for; when standards in hotels and restaurants fall below – sometimes far below – expected, or even in some cases, basic standards.

There is of course absolutely nothing wrong in employing foreigners in restaurants but before doing so restaurateurs ought to at least ensure they are qualified for the job. If they are not, and most are not, they should be trained. And how can they be employed as waiters, for instance, if they do not even know a smattering of English? This can often lead to misunderstanding, such as when, for instance, one gets a Limoncello for a lemon meringue, or to a shoddy service, as when wine is served in a plastic cup, or when waiters do not even know the menu of the restaurants that employ them. The fault does not lie with the waiters but with their employer.

There are, of course, many ways in which people can do their bit for the country besides keeping the country clean and tidy and wearing a big smile for visitors. Most Maltese are extroverts and show great pride in the country, particularly when they are representing the island in contests abroad, or even when they are on holiday, as often shown by the exuberant antics they so instinctively resort to. If they can translate this pride into taking greater care of their island home, Malta would look a far better place than it is now.