It must be clear to everybody that the government (any government) or the local councils (any council) has no interest in improving the state of Malta’s roads. Not even when the EU forks out 85 per cent of the cost.

And, by coincidence, the authorities seem to have taken to renaming streets without warning even the residents. So here’s an idea.

Invite people to adopt or sponsor roads and then to rename them.

People name their houses and motorists are happy to pay a premium for a personal number plate. How much would they pay to get a personalised street?

All they would have to do is pay for the street of their choice to be properly resurfaced. Then it can be renamed in their honour – an honour that would last for ever... or, at least, until it needed relaying and somebody else opted to pay for and rename it. (This might encourage the sponsor to ensure that the job was done properly in the first place.)

Imagine the opportunities. Anybody with a super-ego (no shortage, I would think) could sponsor ‘his’ street. Families could name a road in memory of a grandparent.

Children will be able to hold sponsored walks or even organise concerts to raise money to resurface and name a street.

A village fund could honour one of its residents or a church could recognise a priest or member of its congregation – simply by raising the funds for a stretch of tarmac.

Since the authorities won’t do it, give the power to the people.

Compared with buying citizenships, this idea may be small beer. However, citizenships are not paying for road repairing while motorists are coughing up road tax with no obvious benefit.