With the controversy over the Ba?rija building permit, now being withdrawn, still making headline news, the silly season has not exactly set in. Whatever the temperature, and it has been really hot these past few days, neither the controversy nor the arguments over various aspects of the planned Mepa reform will go away as both carry implications worth following up.

In the case of the first, the story has led to the resignation of the president of the Nationalist Party's general council, Victor Scerri, who disclaims any wrongdoing on his part and plans to do all he can to clear his name. As to the planned Mepa reform, further dissection of the proposals could perhaps lead to a more effective reorganisation of the authority.

On the economic front, there has been much talk on the rise in the cost of living, sparking the usual annual controversy over whether or not Malta should keep the COLA, the cost-of-living adjustment decreed by the government and given to all workers across the board.

Despite pressure from employers for the government to reconsider the system, arguing that wage rises ought to be based on productivity, the government has already indicated it does not plan to drop the system. Actually, nobody really expected the government to do so as this is a political hot potato. Still licking the wounds of defeat it suffered in the June European Parliament elections, the government is probably in no mood to anger the electorate further, more so when the concern over the high rates of water and energy has not yet died down.

Then, of course, there is that other issue over the expenses by politicians in the European Parliament election.

This, too, like the controversy over the Mepa reform and the Ba?rija building permit, will not go away before it is satisfactorily settled.

The two main parties represented in Parliament have greatly mishandled the issue and the people now expect straight answers. Political trust and integrity are at stake.

There seems to be no end to the number of irritants local councils come up with to anger drivers. First, we had an army of traffic wardens who seemed to be more happy fining drivers than keeping discipline on the road. Now, a number of councils have come up with parking restrictions which, if imposed, will add to mounting frustration. With so many difficulties facing drivers on the road already, the last thing most drivers expect is an order restricting parking. No fewer than 300 roads in 19 towns and villages have been placed on a list of reserved parking zones for residents. In Sliema alone, up to 80 streets have been turned into residential parking zones all week, including Sundays.

Dismissing the issue as first-class summer madness is not enough. Immediate action is called for to stop the councils in their track now as, otherwise, their plan will cause discrimination, inconvenience, chaos and loss of business to many in areas hit by the councils' decrees. Just imagine what the situation would be like if all councils in Malta were to do the same. If residents in Sliema, or wherever, think they have a right to free parking space just in front of their house, should not residents in other localities be given the same privilege? Someone ought to step in and stop all this from happening straightaway as, otherwise, the matter will be the cherry on the cake of widespread disgruntlement.