I would like to congratulate the government on the good job done on public transport.

However, I couldn’t believe how we treat the tourists. One day I decided to go to Valletta. I went to the Buġibba bus terminal asked the inspector which bus goes to Valletta and he said take number 31. I thanked him, waited five minutes or so and got on.

I asked the driver for two tickets to Valletta. He looked at me and asked me if my granddaughter had a Maltese passport or an ID card.

I said to him, what’s a Maltese passport or an ID got to do with two tickets to Valletta?

I answered no, as my granddaughter is British. Then he said to me, in that case I’ll have to charge her double. I said to the driver why charge her double, at least give me a reason, and he replied, sorry it is the way it is.

I paid the driver to Valletta, one ticket for €1.30 and the other for €2.60 valid for two hours. It took me one hour 20 minutes to get to Valletta; there goes the validity of the ticket as they are only valid for two hours.

Whoever is responsible for coming up with this idea must address the system. Charging the tourist double the bus fare a Maltese person pays is not right; it’s wrong and unfair. What we are seeing here is discrimination!

Discrimination was dead and buried years ago – as we are members of the European Union, the government ought to know better.

We must look after the tourists because they are the ones who fill our hotel rooms. Tourism is good for the economy. We should welcome tourists, not punish them for not having a Maltese passport or ID card when they get on a bus.

I have done some travelling in my time and I have never come across something as discriminative and stupid as this.

If a Maltese tourist visits London and is charged twice as much a British citizen, he would be shouting discrimination. We must remember not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

The Malta Tourism Authority must discuss this matter with whoever is responsible and tell them to do something about it.

Otherwise it would be our loss... so come on Transport Malta.