timesofmalta.com

Conduct unbecoming

James McIntosh, Victoria — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:07:00 +0200

Is Foreign Minister George Vella afraid of being reported for the declarations he makes? Does he speak first and think later? If so, then he is not fit for the post. Is he going to demand that other foreign dignitaries hand over their phones before meetings and committees? Are we to become a State similar to North Korea or Iran, where only the authorised words of the minister can be reported? The Prime Minister must consider whether the minister is fit for purpose or whether he will be an embarrassment to Malta. Vella needs to be counselled on what is appropriate behaviour. His paranoia is an affront to those who visit his office and I believe that it infringes personal freedoms and human rights. I bet he does not hand over his mobile phone to unknown persons and leave it in their care while he goes behind doors in another room.

Start of life

Ivan Padovani, Bidnija — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:06:00 +0200

I refer to Olga Pitcairn’s letter Right To Live (May 16) and wish to point out, as emphatically as I can, that the ‘belief’ that life begins at conception is not simply a Catholic belief, as she disingenuously asserts, but a scientific one. There is no accepted medical or gynaecological textbook left in the world that does not accept that life begins at conception. Despite the best efforts of pro-abortionists the world over, this is now a hard-rooted fact, the evidence for which becomes more concrete with every new piece of research that emerges.

Something to chew on

Peter Murray, Mosta — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:05:00 +0200

Amid all the angst, wailing, gnashing of teeth and self-flagellation by Manchester United supporters everywhere at the announcement that their hero and manager for the past 26 years, Sir Alex Ferguson, was soon about to retire, please spare a thought for the real losers at this news. For there could not have been a more sombre mood than that which undoubtedly pervaded the boardroom ... no, not the Manchester United Football Club one, but that within the company which now clearly faces ruination... the Wrigley Chewing Gum Company!

After the accident

Edwin De Marco, Rabat — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:04:00 +0200

The Mtarfa bypass, apart from alleviating Rabat’s centre of heavy traffic, is a boon to numerous Rabat and Mtarfa residents who choose to walk, jog or run on the pavements, on both sides of this road and at all times of day. Alas, a small stretch on opposite sides (circa 90 metres) does not have a pavement. The stretch starts a few metres beyond the large roundabout, coming from the direction of Tabija Road, in Rabat, past the derelict windmill on the right-hand side and up to Ta’ Venven farmhouse\garage. This part of the road is very dangerous because it occurs at a blind corner, with oncoming cars proceeding towards pedestrians. This road is not the responsibility of Mtarfa or Rabat local councils but falls under the onus of the central government, probably Transport Malta. I appeal to the authorities concerned to remedy the situation. This is not a case of ‘before a serious accident happens’. This very newspaper carried a report of a serious accident on May 3 involving a pedestrian and a car.

When justice is delayed

Peter Dacoutros, Sliema — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:03:00 +0200

I am not surprised at all that the European Commission has come to the conclusion it did (Malta Now On Trial Over Its Slow Justice System, May 6; When Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied, May 14). We shareholders of the National Bank of Malta have been awaiting justice since the obscene government takeover of the bank on December 13, 1973. I, as a long-suffering shareholder, need not recall again the dramatic circumstances of the takeover and the effects it had on shareholders, big or small, who had all their life’s savings taken away from them overnight under duress. Over these 40 years, some shareholders have died penniless. During their lives they were literally given financial handouts by family and friends to enable them to buy their daily bread. The shareholders of the National Bank have three cases pending in our courts of justice, one civil and two constitutional, and they were promised a sentence to be delivered on all three cases in November 2010. From then on the sentences were put off or postponed several times such as from April 10, 2013, when we were told that the judge was unwell, to May 8, 2013. Once again, on that day no sentence was delivered, with no reason being...

Compulsive gambling

Carmel Portelli, Sliema — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:02:00 +0200

In the terms and conditions at the back of the Grand Lottery ticket there is no indication of the winning odds. I suspect the chance of winning the 1st prize is more than one in a million. Could Maltco Lotteries please enlighten punters about their winning chances before they part with their €10 notes for each ticket? Regarding the Super 5 Lottery, the odds of guessing five out of 45 numbers have greatly increased against the punters compared to the old systems of five out of 39 and later five out of 42 numbers. This has resulted in much bigger jackpots, few winning chances and more expenditure on tickets by the public. Gambling has become part of our culture. Besides the games of chance conducted by Maltco, we have three casinos (and more to come), gambling shops, bingo and other legal and illegal games. Last year, it was reported that about €80 million were spent on Maltco games. Many millions of euros more were spent on other legal and illegal games. There are many reasons why people gamble. The majority of gamblers do not have a gambling problem. But there is a percentage who are compulsive or pathological gamblers. Pathological gambling is associated with drug and alcohol...

Reaching out

Karl Consiglio, Sliema — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:01:00 +0200

I read with interest of Simon Busuttil urging supporters, MPs and councillors to go door-to-door to reach out to as many people as possible. Reminds me of the Jehovah Witnesses.

Mini-Budget is needed

Karm Farrugia, Madliena — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:05:00 +0200

I feel that the IMF’s Malta economist had his/her tongue firmly in the cheek when side-commenting that “the deficit widened to 3.3 per cent of GDP in 2012 due to the election cycle”. Last November it was projected at 2.3 per cent but was allowed to balloon by 40 per cent to 3.3 per cent of GDP. Surely, no election cycle alone could possibly achieve such a feat! Surprisingly, the European Commission has not required a revision for 2013 that would reflect the additional post-Budget commitments and the perceived optimism in its revenue-earning capacity in a scenario of a continuing recession all over the EU. Or else the minister has been very persuasive in promising fiscal consolidation and sustainability, hopefully not through any curtailment of the capital part of the 2013 Budget. How any finance minister can endure 10 months with someone else’s budget is beyond my comprehension. There is nothing to stop him launching a mini-Budget for the second half of this year, particularly to factor in, inter alia, the miserable growth expectations all over the eurozone and, indeed, the whole EU. At least it would be his own: half a loaf...

Equal rights

Iain Sims, St Julian’s — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:04:00 +0200

Blacks should not be allowed to sit next to whites on the bus. Women should not be allowed to vote. Gays should not be allowed to get married. All three of the above statements are revolting. If you agree with any of the above, just replace the first word of each statement with your own name and see how that feels. Why does the Today Public Policy Institute think that it is okay to treat discrimination with anything other than outright contempt? Which of our MPs believe that gay people are lesser mortals and which are going to show enough backbone to stand up and say they support equal rights for all, no matter what their skin colour, gender or sexual orientation is?

Curiosity about our ancestors

Joseph Farrugia, Attard — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:03:00 +0200

First of all I must congratulate Prof. Caroline Wilkinson on the masterpiece of a face she constructed on a skull of one of our ancestors. I looked and looked at it because the face reminded me of a person I know but I could not pinpoint her. However I, and presumably others, would like to learn more. How different is our DNA from people who lived in that era? Years ago I read that some peculiar slightly elongated skulls were found in Malta. What does their DNA show or tell? Lately we learned that people in England and Turkey have the same basic DNA. Is ours similar too? We would like to learn more.

Tax and VAT collection

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:02:00 +0200

We refer to the leader Tax Collection Needs To Be Re-engineered (May 16). As some of the figures were erroneously quoted and what we have outlined at the Public Accounts Committee appears to have been misinterpreted, we are of the view that a reply as follows would be fitting. The leader states that the Inland Revenue Department is owed €258 million even if “taxpayers had assessed themselves to owe €361 million”. The €361 million quoted is not what taxpayers declared in their self-assessment, but represents the outstanding year-by-year tax balance from 1999 to 2011, which includes €208 million made up of tax estimations. Such estimations are issued by the department for failure by taxpayers to file their self-assessment return. Regarding VAT arrears, in his intervention in the Public Accounts Committee the VAT director general explained that although, according to the National Audit Report for 2011, the arrears book balance read €567 million, the collectible amount based on a formula agreed with the National Audit Office was estimated at €31.6 million (in the article €316 million were quoted as collectible). The ‘uncollectible’ difference represents mainly estimations raised by...

Nothing doing

Tonio Bugeja, Santa Venera — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:01:00 +0200

It is incredible how some civil servants leave the people who foot their wages in the lurch. Some of them simply could not be bothered so long as their wages roll in. I have two complaints to make. In Cannon Road there is a leak which for the past six months has been spouting precious water. A Santa Venera councillor, Stephen Sultana, now the mayor, took the Water Services Corporation to task and they did a repair job a few months ago. But the leak started again the following day and was repaired the day after that following his intervention. Some time later the leak reappeared but now, in spite of regular prodding of the WSC by Mr Sultana (he copies me in every time) they really do not want to know! Precious water leaking day and night... or is it that precious? My second complaint is in regard to a smart meter installed at our house. A year later, we still have not seen a bill. In spite of numerous calls to ARMS, they simply do not want to know. A meter reader told me it entails something very simple to sort it out, but still nobody cares. Some people are not doing their job. Perhaps after reading this letter they might be prompted to. The apathy is incredible.