Arrogance?... Points to ponder

Frankly, I never thought I would bother to write but please allow me to touch on three different points on which those responsible should ponder. I can assure them there are thousands of people who are frustrated with such issues but do not bother to voice their anger as they know they will simply be ignored. I wonder why!

The first issue relates to the recent doubling of the price of kerosene "due to abuse of its use". Some excuse! Instead of stopping well known illegal practices, we are seeing the government agreeing to make up with the people who were actually abusing in the first place, leaving all those households that were using kerosene legally to lump the increase. Do we now have to change to gas heaters? If so, will the price of gas remain the same? Do the recently imported gas cylinders fit in these heaters? How about some feedback?

Last October I was amused at the second point I would like to mention... tax refunds. It was reported in The Times that Lm20.8 million in tax refunds are due to the taxpayer, emphasising the fact that Lm11.7 million go back to 1998. If I understand correctly, the Prime Minister's reply in Parliament must have been based on his being given the wrong or half of the information. In fact, there are still tax refunds due from as far back as 1996, at least. Why are older outstanding amounts dues not settled first? Today we have to pay taxes, electricity, water and telephone bills within specified and very short periods... or else! This state of affairs is not only unfair but totally unjust, to say the least.

The last point concerns the new roads being built. Judging by those already completed, it is impossible for the normal mind not to realise that reducing major roads to single lanes is actually killing traffic-flow. Abroad they do the exact opposite. I ask the "geniuses" designing and approving such plans whether they realise that, in Malta, Sunday driving happens everyday, not to mention having also to crawl behind and at the mercy of slow-moving heavy vehicles with no hope of overtaking.

If such realities are ignored, the result will be the same as has already been demonstrated in practice... traffic jams. This becomes more frustrating when one realises that it was probably such vehicles with illegal axle-weights (not to mention their driving on outside lanes) that contributed in no small way to the rapid deterioration of our roads. I am not advocating excessive speeds. I am simply referring to the "right" and possibility of being able to drive safely within legal speed limits without being frustrated. I am talking about being able to cover distances in reasonable times and, in the process, reducing the sheer waste of fuel and related increase in pollution, both of which carry a very heavy price.

Let us not blame only the increase of vehicles on the road. Road design has a lot to do with it. Will we again see the use of taxpayers' money to remedy this by future administrations? Haven't we experimented enough?

I just pray that the roads currently being built will not have the same fate.

If that is the case, plans should be changed now before it is too late. Killing traffic flow to reduce accidents is definitely a very bad remedy.

I remember statements being made about listening to what the people have to say. Let us see if we get appropriate and timely responses and that remedies are applied. I wonder...