We all know that there are too many cars in Malta, and parking places are becoming increasingly restricted, what with the introduction of residents-only parking and more parking spaces disappearing because of newly-built garages.

For some months now, I have been trying to sell my car, as I am sick and tired of the situation, I asked for a print-out of my offences and I found, to my utter dismay, that it includes a fine of €69, with accumulated interest. It was marked 'no show, guilty'.

Despite a thorough search, I could find neither a summons to appear before a tribunal in connection with this case, nor a notice that I had been fined, which would have alerted me. I have been phoning and writing, and wasting hours of what is left of my life (I am 75), getting all sorts of suggestions, some of them downright silly, and I still got nowhere.

These tribunals seem to have unlimited power - whatever they say goes. And we call ourselves a democracy!

The origin of this fine was that I had gone out, fallen and nearly broken my back.

I thought myself lucky when a car pulled out from between a row of parked cars, so I could park instead of it.

I went straight home to bed, where I stayed for several days. When, eventually, I felt well enough to drive, I saw something neatly-wrapped around one of the windscreen wipers: three tickets.

I appealed to the correct authorities, saying that, as they had found out who the owner was, they could also have found that I was an elderly lady living on my own who might be lying dead at home.

Eventually, two of the fines were waived, but not the first, all because I was in too much pain to notice that what appeared to be a perfectly normal parking place had a discreet little notice saying that for one hour every morning and every evening those parking places were reserved for tourists' coaches.

To come back to the delivery, or non-delivery, of the summons: the postal services are notoriously bad. I have complained to Maltapost on several occasions. The tribunal people, from what I can understand, apparently rely on an indifferent postman's word that once a part of their summons has been returned to them, then it is supposed to have reached the addressee, irrespective of where the rest of the paper has really been left.

I spent hours writing a well-thought-out letter recently but I got no reply.

I had hoped to be able, on the strength of the reply, to pay my licence on time (by the end of October), yet my car is now sitting in a kind friend's garage. I know this is damaging my health, but for me principle comes first. I am sure there is a mistake somewhere and they - whoever they are - will not admit it.

I suppose I shall eventually be asked to pay more for my licence; however, it is not my fault that I am late.

I invite other people in my situation, and there must be many, to join together and take our cases all the way to the highest if necessary.