Worrying practices

A segue to the Talking Point ‘Unsustainable tourism’ (May 2) is the farcical Sliema/Valletta ferry.

Typical Malta to ruin what is an excellent idea for locals and tourists alike. This morning, the operators must have been on an environment kick seeking to save on fuel consumption by making less trips. Passengers kept being loaded to way beyond available seating on board, with the 9.15am trip being missed entirely as two trips were squeezed into one.

Was the overloading even safe? Does this even factor in a parallel universe country where tourists are beheaded when seeing the sights from the top deck of a bus?

People were getting off in frustrated disgust.

Besides, we are used to Maltese lack of punctuality due to “traffic”. A ferry service was supposed to address that.

ANNA MICALLEF – Sliema

Will Roberta Metsola refuse to debate?

Roberta Metsola

Now that the Electoral Commission has fired the starting pistol for the June 8 European Parliament election, the vast majority of voters must be looking forward to the debates organised by the Malta Broadcasting Authority between the candidates contesting this election.

Of course, the debates, which are uppermost in the minds of voters are the those between PL and PN candidates, particularly the one-on-one debate between the two front runners in this election: Alex Agius Saliba and Roberta Metsola.

Alex Agius Saliba

It would be very disappointing if any candidate refuses to take part in a debate since voters should be given the chance to evaluate the arguments made by the candidates, as well as their reaction to arguments made by other rival candidates. This is why I appeal to Metsola to accept to take part in these debates and not turn down the invitation as she has done when both Times of Malta and MaltaToday had invited her for a debate with Agius Saliba, who had immediately accepted the invitation.

EDDY PRIVITERA – Naxxar