Then they have the cheek to want our vote

As a Sliema born and bred resident, the deterioration of my home town is an everyday occurrence. 

We residents used to be proud of our town but, nowadays, when compared to what other local councils are doing for the benefit of their residents, we have fallen to the lowest rating as regards the welfare of our residents.

Lights on the zebra crossings on The Strand and further up in Tower Road, Sliema have not been working for weeks. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Zebra crossing traffic lights in front of the Zara outlet on The Strand have been unlit for the past two months, the same as the traffic lights on the zebra crossing further up Tower Road. Community police on our streets are totally inactive. Rowdiness at night, especially during weekends in Bisazza Street, are an ongoing occurrence. 

How can our representatives expect to face our local electorate and expect our votes when we are experiencing all these shortcomings every day? Knocking on our doors days before an election does not justify these shortcomings.

Michael Vella – Sliema

Job adverts

I am writing to express my concern regarding a common practice in Malta: the omission of salary offers by prospective employers in recruitment adverts. In my opinion, this omission raises questions about fairness and suggests an imbalance of power between employers and employees right from the outset of the employment relationship.

While employers extensively outline their expectations from candidates in their adverts, the absence of salary information perpetuates a culture that deems it inappropriate for prospective employees to know what compensation and conditions they can expect.

I’m no economist but I wonder whether this practice not only hampers transparency but also hinders the development of competitiveness in terms of salary and working conditions for job seekers, ultimately impacting the country’s economy.

Perhaps it’s about time to reconsider this practice and for the relevant authorities to reconsider why and to what effect it continues. 

Paul Attard-Baldacchino – Sevenoaks, UK