It was very encouraging to observe, over the last few weeks, the amount of literature being spread around, via letters to the media and electronic mail regarding incidents involving common citizens being fined unfairly for a variety of reasons.
The installation of speed cameras in Xemxija Hill, set at 40/45kmh, has really spurned the effort of citizens to advise each other to watch out for Big Brother.
It would perhaps make a marvellous event if the wise guy who came up with this idea were to give us a demonstration of how to go uphill at that speed with a trailer or concrete mixer behind you!
Perhaps people would like to know about events in Birkirkara - the wardens here have taken their environmental role very seriously.
The new approach is to follow people taking their dogs out and immediately the creature takes its stance, pounce on the owner claiming that he/she was going to move on without scooping. It is immaterial to them that you show them the poop scoop/bag etc.
We heard a public announcement from Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici regarding new guidelines for wardens. The official statement said these had to be issued because several wardens were abusing the previous regulations. Is it the citizen's right to be informed whether disciplinary action has been taken over such irregularities?
The parliamentary secretary needs to draw some funds from the EU retraining scheme and use them to educate wardens on how they should approach their job and how to approach the citizens in a proper manner (mainly that people are not prey).
Allow me to point out to Dr Mifsud Bonnici that first they have to review the whole system - so long as the wardens are burdened with a quota, they cannot look at a directional role, they can only think of how many fines they tot up to meet their monthly target. So long as this system is maintained, they will only look at their job as being prowlers ready to pounce on the next victim.
On the part of the citizens, we can only defend ourselves by passing information. Unfortunately, other means available are not too citizen friendly!