The small stretch of ‘cobbled’ road in Victoria’s main square, from St James church to Sabina Square, is a complete disaster.

Subsiding at certain parts and disintegrating in others, the street is a collection of wavy bumps and holes, presenting a danger to scooters and cyclists but, especially, to pedestrians. It’s no surprise to me as I had watched the shambolic way it was constructed, by unsupervised workmen without proper tools to work with.

Another peril is presented by the wide stairways on both sides of It-Telgħa tal Kastell. Before the recent reconstruction, the risers (built without modern tools in the 19th) were perfectly uniform the whole way up. Now, with all the modern measuring and laying tools at the constructor’s disposal, there are differences of, in instances, up to three centimetres from one step to another (view photo).

These present a trap, especially to senior citizens, with bad falls occurring daily. Just ask the doormen of Citadel Cinema who regularly give first aid to the unfortunate ones.

It is inevitable that the people responsible will have to be made to dig up the road and fix the steps.