And the sprawl continues

First, near Nuffara Hill, Gozo there was a flat tract of fertile agricultural land. It did not flood because there were sorts of canals in between fields in which rainwater drained and canals that carried water from the road to the nearby valleys.

Then, a horse racetrack was made and the fields in the middle were still cultivated.

In the 1990s, the soil from the middle was removed, a kind of stand for spectators was built together with a complementary boundary wall, parts of which fell at times. A mountain of soil was created and some went to fly toy aeroplanes there. Now, this mountain of soil is being removed to I don’t know where in order to build a park and ride.

Right now, an area near the heliport, in Xewkija is being used as a park and ride and, from what I see, it is not being used by commuters. I think the reason is that people find it more time-saving to go at once to Mġarr Harbour with their private car. So the same problem will haunt the new park and ride. It would have been better to revert back the land to its natural state.

Maybe a much more efficient bus service attuned to the needs of workers and students going to Malta and Victoria would have been a neater solution. Some people tell me that the bus to the ferry does not take them on time to catch the ferry or to get to work, or one has to wait a lot of time. So they opt for their own private car.

Maybe Mġarr Harbour and its vicinities should become a timed parking zone. And, perhaps, the public transport operators should make decisions in real time and increase the number of buses or use a minibus depending on the volume of commuters.

Now, we will experience a big shift to electric cars.

It would be a star move if we give incentives so that the majority of the people start using public transport for daily commute instead of their private car. But the service must really satisfy the needs of the people using it. The issue must not be politicised and we must really believe that this move will be beneficial to the general health of our nation and to the world.

Joe Portelli – Nadur

Holy crap!

On August 31, I caught the 1pm bus (159), Route 48 from Valletta to Buġibba.

Shortly after departing, the skies opened up and it started raining cats and dogs. When the bus passed through Valley Road, Msida what I thought was muddy water or chocolate milkshake started gushing in from the front side of the bus where I was sitting. However, my nose contradicted my thoughts and it was excrement and toilet paper that was flooding the vehicle.

Flooded vehicles in Valley Road, Msida on August 31. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

I could not believe what I was seeing and smelling and my feet were not too pleased.

The thought crossed my mind to freeze the garbage pouring into the bus but my freezer is not big enough.

Thank God, that as our disgraced former prime minister said his government made the Maltese “sinjuri żgħar” (decently wealthy people) because I could afford to buy bottles of Dettol and bleach to bathe my feet and sandals.

This is Malta in 2023.

Charles Sammut – Naxxar