Lift the restrictions

In view of many European countries loosening restrictions, the time has come for Malta to stop quarantine restrictions on unvaccinated Europeans, which is resulting in an unhappy two-class citizen situation.

A rapid antigen test or PCR test provided for free to returning citizens should suffice. Quarantine should no longer be needed or only until the outcome of the test result,  which should be a day or two at the most.

Chris Martin – St Julian’s

Make hay while the sun shines

It is very evident that the call to ‘make hay while the sun shines’ was not only followed by construction magnates but also by some politicians. But the sun won’t shine forever as dark clouds may intervene.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar

Bank queues

Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Paul Xuereb (February 21) is right that, in Malta, the majority of queues at ATMs consist of elderly people. That applies also to simple transactions at the counter, when queues actually extend to the pavement outside the bank (Ħamrun). Sadly it’s still hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

I’m 75 and I can cope with online banking easily. My wife keeps pestering me every time she wants to transfer money or buy anything online. I explain, but she forgets!

One solution is to have a member of staff (TV instruction won’t work) pulling customers out of queues and showing them how to do it. Even with a 40/60 success rate, eventually queues will get shorter. It just needs patience and goodwill. 

Increasing the number of ATMs will also help solve the problem. I live one mile outside the town centre and there are four ATMs within 50 metres of my house (two in corner grocery shops, one in a petrol station and one outside the sub-post office). It’s not rocket science.

Paul Brincau – Uxbridge, UK

From the online comments board

US sanctions Russia for beginning invasion of Ukraine

What the US should do is de-escalate the situation. But it can’t because it is incapable. Is this all worth it just because the Ukraine wants to join NATO? Besides, was not NATO founded to counter communism after Churchill handed over Eastern Europe to the Soviet Union? People tend to forget.

And when the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War was allegedly over with the demise of the Warsaw Pact, why was NATO expanded? What’s this, another British Empire? I would understand if the Ukraine is already part of NATO. But it isn’t.

Do you honestly believe that the US is taking on Russia out of its love for the Ukraine or Ukrainians? Do you think that Kinesha and Dewayne really care about Dimitry and Olga while they are shopping for discounts at the local Walmart in downtown Roanoke, Virginia? Until yesterday, most Americans did not even know where the Ukraine is except in the context of hunter Joe Biden’s dealings with a very corrupt regime. Seriously? – Michael Bencini

I hope Malta does not see this as an opportunity to sell more passports. – M. Camilleri

As always, the American propaganda machine tries to depict Russia as the bad guys. The problem is that people are like sheep, they believe and follow. – Victor Bonello

Sanctions have never worked and never will.  – John Zammit

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