This summer has been one of the most wonderful summers I have ever spent. Not for anything extraordinary occurring. Quite the contrary. It has been a season where I have managed to enjoy the most ordinary things which keep me convinced that this country could easily be the best place on earth to live were we to take ourselves a bit more seriously in terms of the standards we should aspire to reach.

Having moved to Marsascala for a few weeks, I have rediscovered the sheer pleasure and tranquillity that our natural landscape provides only to be rudely interrupted at times by the ignorance and egoism of some individuals. Despite all the developments that have taken place there, Marsascala, or at least parts of it, retains a lot of its charm as a seaside and fishing village. Being ‘forgotten’ can be an advantage, at times.

This summer was the first time, for instance, that I could see no cranes on the horizon. The place has been overdeveloped in terms of construction, yet hopefully, future development will be better planned and managed. This is why I, for one, support the idea that once the opportunity has arisen, the area currently occupied by the ruins of the former Jerma hotel should become an open space and not be appropriated by the few who would be able to afford some luxury apartment in a block that would be constructed in its place. If any building is to replace the Jerma ruins, at least it should be another hotel that somehow blends in with the surroundings and provides the locality with much needed investment in the touristic sector.

Sometimes, our indifference may be due to a lack of sensitivity for others, particularly for vulnerable persons

I believe that preserving what remains of the character of localities such as Marsascala should be a priority not only in terms of policies laid down by the national and local governments but also for residents and for all those who frequent such places because of what they offer. I am often very perplexed by claims that we are a very altruistic nation when I see how the Maltese islands are scarred by ‘monuments’ that attest to the indifference that individuals show with regard to the natural environment as well as to the right of other individuals to enjoy what’s left to be enjoyed.

The whole fish farms issue is one case in point. Marsascala is one of those places badly affected by the slime that has polluted the sea. It is something I can see on a daily basis. However, there are other factors too, such as the rubbish that people throw into the sea either from the shore or from their boats.

Another matter that bothers me is how some people appropriate an entire segment of the shore to set up tents and other structures meaning that it becomes their own private beach for the day. Not to mention the noise and the fact that they often couldn’t care less about the other people who also happen to be there.

I have often written that this seems to be symptomatic of our character as a nation. I’m sure that I am not the only person who has, over the past few days, found it extremely frustrating to get to work in the morning. Undoubtedly, many of the problems with our traffic are due to the road network, the number of vehicles on the roads and traffic management in general. Yet matters are made even worse because even when driving, some people have absolutely no regard for other drivers as well as for traffic signs and regulations in general. I am sure that if we were all to be more self-disciplined when sitting behind the steering wheel, it would help to ease a bit of the mayhem on our roads during the rush hours.

Incidentally, I also think that motorcyclists need to pay more attention when manoeuvring through traffic. Sometimes, they appear out of nowhere, apart from expecting you to keep to the side just to let them through, almost forcing you to drive onto a pavement or centre strip.

Sometimes, our indifference may be due to a lack of sensitivity for others, particularly for vulnerable persons. I recently accompanied my father to his car dealer because of some problems he had with getting his car repaired and then to his mobile operator because of a problem he had with topping up his mobile phone. I appreciate that people on the other side of the counter have to deal with many persons, some of whom would not be the most polite people on earth. However, I do believe that they should be more understanding that people are not numbers and that how they deal with a particular person can have repercussions, sometimes rather serious ones, on that person’s quality of life.

In the first instance, my father had been told that the part that needed to be replaced in his automobile would only be available at the end of October. This would have meant that my elderly parents would have to spend one and a half months without their car, entirely dependent on public transport or getting lifts from others thereby significantly reducing the independence which they are very jealous of and which I hope they will continue to enjoy for some time yet.

All I would expect from the customer care person dealing with my father for example is that he or she at least tries to understand the impact of telling him that he would have to wait till at least the end of next month to have his car repaired. Fortunately, we were told that the part has now arrived and that by today, hopefully, my parents should have their car back.

With regard to the mobile, what struck me was how the person speaking to my father spoke to him as though my father is an 18-year-old fully conversant with modern technology. Thankfully, I could more or less ‘mediate’ and, as a result, the mobile operator representative changed his attitude and became much more understanding and very helpful.

This is why I think that individuals engaged in dealing with the public should be trained to try to place themselves in the shoes of the client or customer before churning out scripted replies, though I would also expect that common sense would point one towards the obvious.

Transforming Malta into the best place to live in is not merely about safeguarding the environment, our heritage and preserving our rights to enjoy both without hindrance. It is also about becoming better persons who not only try to make the most of their own lives but also care about others and help them enjoy the quality of life that we all so desperately long for and deserve.