So it seems that the Malta-Gozo tunnel is edging into being, with the public consultation exercise having just been launched.

There is some scepticism about the scope of these consultation exercises, especially as there is an air of inevitability about the supposed absolute necessity of the tunnel and the route it will take. All arguments about the financial and environmental viability of the project have been blithely dismissed and we are faced with TINA (There is No Alternative).

I am struck by the contrast between the government’s single-minded obsession with hacking out a costly, environmentally ruinous tunnel underneath the seabed and its resistance to implementing an extensive mass transit system in Malta.  

In the first case, we are told that it is essential – a vital connection to the sister island. We are told not to fear progress, to rest assured that advanced technological means will successfully carve out the seabed with clinical precision to produce a highway to Gozo. Never mind the by-product of this massive rock-cutting exercise (quite clearly intended for some speculative land reclamation exercise) and never mind the fact that Gozo will be turned into a smaller, congested version of Malta, we are told that this is the only progressive option.

There is apparently no political will to do something really forward-looking which will benefit the whole nation and future generations

But when it comes to a mass transit system which will contribute to easing congestion on our roads, the authorities have seemingly given up. There is apparently no political will to do something really forward-looking which will benefit the whole nation and future generations. No. That’s apparently a step too far. But an unfeasible, environmentally catastrophic tunnel gets the go-ahead.

It’s beyond comprehension.

There are so many problems which could be averted with a little foresight and a genuine attempt at seeing that laws are adhered to. Instead there is a rush towards anything that spurs economic growth (or is perceived to do so) without a proper analysis of the difficulties that it may give rise to.

Take the lax policy governing outside catering areas. The idea behind it was clearly capitalising on the balmy Mediterranean weather and encouraging the French-style, outdoor café society. What’s not to like?

However, the quasi-complete deregulation and lack of enforcement means that the reality on the ground is very different. Allowing tables and chairs to hog parking spaces on busy roads encourages illegal parking and restricts dual carriageways to single lanes, with the resulting traffic congestion.

By refusing to monitor or enforce adherence to laws regarding pedestrian access, pavements are effectively privatised, with citizens not being able to walk anywhere – as they are obstructed by bar furniture.

There are no two ways about it – the authorities are reneging on their responsibilities. Normal people suffer in the process. These glitzy greenwash campaigns about encouraging alternative modes of transport ring hollow when residents must navigate an uneasy path through the 24/7, unregulated commercial activity on their doorsteps.

I felt a deep pang of sadness when I heard that ceramicist and artist Gabriel Caruana had passed away. His colourful and simple works brightened our world.

I loved his humble, unassuming manner and the childlike nature of his art. In fact, he has been called “the eternal child”, and it was his playful innocence which always managed to strike a chord even in the souls of the most jaded. I’m reminded of a favourite quote: “We let the blade of our innocence dull over time, and it’s only in innocence that you find any kind of magic, any kind of courage.” Gabriel Caruana never forgot the magic of simplicity. Rest in peace, creator of beauty.

drcbonello@gmail.com