I have just counted over 1,000 cars, mini-buses and trucks passing through our narrow street this morning.

The smell of used fuel and other poisons greets me when I open the door.

Delivery vehicles honk their horns to announce their arrival as early as 5.30 a.m. and the cars trapped behind them honk their horns in frustration.

Welcome to Count Roger Street, Rabat, April 2002, courtesy of whoever is responsible for traffic routing in our islands.

The traffic problem in our locality was made much worse by the myopic, brainless civil servant who decided to make G. Borg Olivier Street one way, thereby causing a much bigger problem in Kola Xara Street, St Mary Street, and Count Roger Street.

We residents were told that the system was on a trial basis. Sure. First break the jar and then try and put the pieces back together.

Now, instead of having one road choked with fumes and noise we have three.

One only had to be present at the last locality meeting in Rabat to feel the residents` ire at this ridiculous state of affairs.

Over two weeks have passed; the council has gone back to lethargic mode and the minister of transport is conspicuous by his silence.

The faceless civil servants who implement these hare-brained schemes are cowering in the background, oblivious to the mayhem they have caused to people`s lives.

How much longer is this wretched state of affairs going to continue?