The premature triplets born to British couple Amee and Andrew German have been literally separated at birth, because of a dearth of beds at special baby care units, necessitating a 140-mile round trip for the parents when they visit. The new minister responsible for health in Malta has been faced with a similar problem, only here the shortage means that a bed might not be available in hospital for someone with a terminal illness, waiting for a palliative operation. One hopes the problem is resolved soon.

Round Trip

And while on the subject of health, it is worthwhile commenting on the subject of the free medications issue. There are times when these are not available from one's area clinic and have to be collected from hospital. If a person lives alone, he is entitled to the round-trip ambulance service. Surely this is a waste of resources. It would be simpler, and inherently cheaper, to deliver the medications by courier to the clinic.

Adequate Cover

Gozo Channel is advertising the possible sale of the marquee tent used for passenger comfort in Mġarr harbour for the past eight years or so. Initially this project had been criticised as an unnecessary expense but millions of foot passengers must have sought the shelter of the tent over the years, which seems to justify the investment as good value for money. Couldn't the tent be transferred to Ċirkewwa for use by passengers there until the terminal is completed?

Walled Out

A new boundary wall is being built in the general area of the racecourse, at Marsa. Unfortunately, for the sake of neatness, speed and efficiency, ordinary stone slabs are being used. Surely a rubble wall would have been more in keeping with the rural environs.

Munch Brunch

The owner of a snack outlet by the parking area in Golden Bay appears to have an aversion to exhibiting the prices of all the items available for sale. Customers have to ask the waiter/waitress on duty for the selling price and this is both annoying and unfair - apart from the fact that the practice is illegal. One notes that the service itself is excellent, nonetheless.

Swim Suitable

When the warm weather makes a dip in the briny waters a pleasant escapade, a politician or two may be tempted to jump in to indicate that the level of pollution is acceptable, if not absent altogether. Unfortunately, however, in winter this type of stunt is conspicuous by its absence.

Wheelie Bad

The same may be said for politicians who take to public transport, or ride bicycles, and who occasionally take rides in wheelchairs, in order to prove a point. When they are busily occupied with other happenings, this kind of spectacle is placed on the back burner. Had these people employed PROs they might have been told how unwise this kind of behaviour is.

Smoke Free

It is high time that footage from real accidents were used in media campaigns to indicate graphically how dangerous behaviour, such as storing flammable materials in residential areas, really is. Likewise, a campaign should be launched promoting the introduction of a new generation of nitrogen-rich pyrotechnics, which are more environmentally friendly, burn smoke-free and often offer better performance and colour intensity, quality and intensity than conventional mixtures.

Third One

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is evidently dead set in promoting transparency and accountability. He should therefore instruct the powers-that-be to release the findings of the inquiries into the fatal police shooting in Qormi, the near air-miss over Żebbuġ and, now, the Naxxar explosives tragedy.

Fewer Polls

The Prime Minister has gone on record as saying he would be looking into the feasibility of having local council elections less frequently. He is right; we cannot have the country grinding to a halt every five years and a go-slow every year, just because we have to choose our representatives.

Traffic Jam

It is not fair on motorists or those who commute by public transport not to be forewarned at least five streets ahead of a temporary change in traffic routes On the morrow of the elections, all those waiting at various fare stages and bus stops in High Street, Ħamrun, were not informed of the fact that buses were being re-routed and some people spent as long as an hour waiting for the bus that never came.

Filling Cracks

It is ironic that whereas the major political parties removed their billboards practically on the morrow that the result of the general election was announced, others have lagged behind. Even candidates for local council elections, whose friends taped photographs to electricity pylons, are guilty of this breach of etiquette.

Leaner Operation

A more streamlined House of Representatives means a sleeker government as well as a great savings in expenses of which the public, in the end, has to bear the brunt. One hopes that this protocol will extend to other niceties -such as official cars with air conditioners on even when not occupied, unlimited use of cellular telephony and petrol allowances for personal use, and so forth.

Happy Holidays

This column has long been harping on the practicality of allowing access to state school playground in the holidays. This would provide a relatively safe area of play in localities where there are no public gardens or playing fields or when these are too far away to allow children to travel there alone.

onthedot@timesofmalta.com