Noble initiatives

I have read with great pleasure the good news that the Alfred Mizzi Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary and donated more than €2 million over the past four years to promote and safeguard social solidarity, Maltese heritage, education and environment.

I salute this foundation and wish them an even nobler future. We need many more of these initiatives by those who give back to the Maltese society a part of what they have reaped.

Hats off to the foundation’s chairperson, Julian Sammut, and its members.

Philip Farrugia Randon – St Julian’s

The Gozo public library. Photo: Christopher Pisani/Facebook

The Gozo public library

Last October, the Victoria Primary School relocated to a modern facility near other educational institutions, providing our children with the advanced resources they need for their education and development. This move has also presented a valuable opportunity to address another pressing issue: the lack of space at the Gozo public library.

For years, we have seen promises that, once the primary school moved, the vacated space would be allocated to expand the library. Despite the relatively small number of researchers and readers, the library is struggling to accommodate its growing collection of books and manuscripts. However, I believe expanding the library into this space is not the most practical solution.

The lower level of the old school building requires significant modernisation and could be better utilised for offices or other essential government services. A more effective solution would be to relocate the Gozo section of the National Archives to a different facility, thereby freeing up its current space for the library.

This would allow both institutions to function more effectively, with sufficient room to meet modern demands.

While some may argue against separating the library – a research library rather than a lending one – from the archives, we must embrace innovative approaches that prioritise functionality and growth. By rethinking how these institutions are housed, both can be provided with the space they need to serve the community better.

I urge the authorities to consider this alternative plan seriously. It is a practical, forward-looking solution that would benefit both the library and the archives, as well as the wider community.

Mario Saliba – Nadur

Necessary adjustment

I refer to the letter by Joseph Galea of Sliema (PO boxes fee, November 21), regarding the tariff revision for our PO box service. The letter overlooks several key facts.

Firstly, the annual rental fee for the exclusive use of a private delivery box (PO box) is just €100 – that is less than 28c a day. To put this in perspective, this amount represents excellent value for the service provided. It is also important to note that this tariff revision, which took place in 2023 and not in 2024, was long overdue.

For a staggering 34 years, the PO box rental fee remained unchanged under price control, from 1989 to 2023. During this extended period, Maltapost’s costs to provide this service have escalated exponentially, reflecting significant increases in salaries, operational expenses, inflation and changes in the economic landscape.

The revision of the rental fee after more than three decades was a necessary adjustment to ensure the continued sustainability of the service, having been carefully considered to strike a balance between maintaining the service and covering the rise in costs incurred over the 34-year period.

As always, we remain committed to providing value for money to our customers when reviewing our tariffs.

Sean Dingli, Head, customer care – Maltapost plc