Leave our trees alone

I fully concur with Dawn Adrienne Saliba’s Talking Point (April 2). Let us save the Gozo trees.

The Labour government’s obsession to destroy trees in favour of widening roads or some other uncalled for or unnecessary project is beyond comprehension. A case in point is the recent projected uprooting of some 200 trees on Marsalforn Road.

The uprooting of the trees on the arterial road between Victoria and Marsalforn will make way for a road widening project. Photo: Google Maps

According to information submitted in Saliba’s article, the project will cost around €9 million. The Gozo ministry awarded the project to Gatt Tarmac Ltd and Prax Concrete Ltd. Incidentally, both companies are linked to developer Joseph Portelli and his associates.

The only reason given for this senseless destruction of trees is to widen the road because of traffic congestions. Wonder of wonders! I have been a frequent visitor to Gozo for many years and was never stuck in a traffic jam on Marsalforn Road. So, please, Hon. Minister, go and tell this to the marines as no one will ever believe you.

It is crystal clear that all the Gozo ministry is after is to continue pouring money into Portelli’s pockets directly and/or indirectly.

I join all those who are against the destruction of trees. 

Leave our trees alone.

Emily Barbaro-Sant – Mosta

PN’s first missile at the new airline

Barely had KM Malta Airline’s first flight touched down at Catania’s Fontanarossa airport that the PN had fired its first missile towards it, just as they had done 50 years earlier with the inauguration of Air Malta. At that time, they used to refer to Air Malta’s aircraft as “birds of lead” (għasafar taċ-ċomb). And they used to fly with other airlines instead of using Air Malta.

This time, the PN’s first missile was aimed at the board of directors of KM Malta Airlines. They latched on to a story in Times of Malta about a wise decision made by KM Malta Airlines to waive the necessity that new cabin crew must be proficient both in spoken and written Maltese. The PN made it seem as if all cabin crew members could end up not being able to communicate in Maltese with Maltese passengers.

As the board has already explained, 80 per cent of KM Malta Airlines’ passengers are foreign, many of whom may not be able to communicate with cabin crew members in English, let alone Maltese. So what’s wrong in having, say, one cabin crew member who can speak, besides English, another foreign language, such as Polish, for example, on flights to Poland? Or French on flights to France? Or German on flights to Germany etc.?

I believe the decision is a wise one because the new airline would possibly be offering a new service which other airlines may not be providing – communication in most of the passengers’ own language. Apart from this, such a waiver can open up a wider market for recruiting experienced staff. The board has already made it clear that there will always be Maltese speaking staff on all its flights.

In order to dispel any lingering doubts of those who may have been influenced by the PN’s irresponsible criticism, perhaps KM Malta Airlines’ board can consider including the condition that new foreign applicants  must be able to communicate also in basic Maltese, say, within one year from becoming a cabin crew member. Lessons in basic Maltese can surely be organised by the airline. 

What I found really funny in the PN’s crocodile tears for the Maltese language is that this is the same party which, historically, used to define the Maltese language as the language ‘of the kitchen’. And used to keep the minutes of the PN’s executive committee meetings in Italian. Not even in English, let alone Maltese. And has as party leader someone who used to tell foreigners that he was Greek because he was “ashamed to be Maltese”.

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar