As one of the many to have bought a car from abroad to have it registered in Malta, I can only say that I am absolutely appalled by the registration system that ADT has to offer. Forty-eight hours after having brought the car in the country, it was towed and impounded. I accept blame for my ignorance of the new procedure introduced last month calling for vehicles to have a permit, even within the seven days it must be registered, however the car was fully insured, all paperwork was with me including the documents ready for the ADT registration and yet I was made to feel like a criminal stopped in the middle of a busy intersection and left to wait in the back of their vehicle until a family member arrived to pick me up.

Needless to say, the very next day I spent several hours in line at the ADT only to be told that I must pay a total of €174 consisting of the towing itself being €104 (hardly the fuel consumption and labour cost!), administration fees (a 10-minute job of sorting the paperwork) and a further €35, a ridiculous charge for rent! I paid all this up front including the entire registration fee and additional €35 for opening a file. I was then made to wait a few days until the paperwork went through for me to pick up the vehicle. The inspection date was made for that very same day, for which I was given a 24-hour permit, and made to return to the ADT to pick up a slip allowing the vehicle's release, venture to Kordin to get the vehicle out of the pound, then back to ADT to have the inspection and to get the VRT done. Of course the next day I had to return to ADT to spend an ungodly amount of time once again in line to hand over the papers stating the vehicle passed all necessary requirements and to pay for my private licence plates (a second time) and road tax. I was told I would receive a call to pick up the licence plates and logbook, but I was also told not to hold my breath. Over two weeks since the start of the proceedings have now passed and I am still waiting for this call. When inquiring this morning about the status of my situation, I was told that they did not know when it would be sorted but that I should call them in a few days' time to see when they would be ready.

I am utterly shocked by this treatment. I cannot believe that whilst driving through Europe I received no hassles whatsoever, but the moment the tires hit Malta I am subjected to this complete lack of efficiency and made to wait impatiently for a simple registration which was paid in full on my first visit! I must bring to the ADT's attention the massive inconvenience caused to all those registering. Not only does this procedure involve toing and froing, which of course means time away from work, but also requires transport to do so. And those who sold their vehicles before bringing the new vehicle in have been inconvenienced further by either having to rely on public transport or renting a vehicle. With all the money being raked in by speed cameras with ridiculous speed limits and by the ADT waiting on street corners to pull over vehicles that are unaware of the new permit procedure, one would think they could at least invest it in a more efficient system for a simple registration! ADT is a public authority paid to service its citizens. This, it is not doing.