Ramla Road, Nadur

I would like to highlight the current situation on Ramla Road, Nadur. After it was tarmacked under the administration of Justyne Caruana, white lines were painted on the same side as the houses but those lines become narrow when they reach the last four houses on the end of the block.  

This means that all homeowners can park in front of their properties apart from the last four as the white line leaves a narrower space and a car does not fit inside it. This is a very wide stretch of road where there is plenty of room for cars to park on each side of the street and for cars to pass each other in both lanes. 

Before the implementation of these lines, there were no parking issues at all.  Unlike most of the island, where it is impossible for two lanes of traffic to pass as cars are parked and there are no white lines – example Ħanaq Street.

The Ministry for Gozo advised us to contact Transport Malta, which we did. 

We were informed that they were aware of the situation having already received a complaint and that they would be sending an architect out to remeasure. 

This was supposed to happen in the week of August 9 or 16 but we have not heard anything from them since then.

The problem is that two of the properties have elderly people residing in them and they cannot park in front for even a short period of time as they will get a ticket (this has happened several times).  

There was never a parking issue on this beautiful wide road until this line was painted.  Motorists in the rest of the island can park on narrow streets (even on both sides) and cars cannot pass and, then, the bus needs to pass and drivers are reversing down the street. It does not make any sense.  

I would like to see which administration can rectify this by widening the line on such a wide street to allow for resident parking and installing more lines where they are really needed to help with the traffic flow. 

Of course, it’s the elderly who are suffering. Who is going to help them now?

Michelle Hili – Nadur

No excuse for the destruction of a foetus

Life starts in the womb, as soon as the fertilised ovum is implanted in the uterine wall. With the implantation, women feel that something has happened, has developed, in their body.

I have a feeling that certain women want to use abortion as a lever, especially against their partner. I say this because they could have been careful, attentive and prepared by taking their daily dose of the contraceptive pill.

Even in the case of accidental, unplanned intercourse or rape, there is the facility of the morning-after pill or emergency contraception. There is a certain time lag between intercourse and womb implantation.

While a number of pharmacies offer this medicine, the dispensing of the morning-after pill must be streamlined as time is of the essence. With such facilities, the majority of females can control their onset of pregnancy. Therefore, there is no justifiable excuse for the destruction of a foetus.

When a man does not want any commitment when a pregnancy occurs, he just washes his hands of the situation and runs away. This is most unfair and unjust but the female cannot use such circumstances to go for an abortion.

Females must be more careful and ready. The life of the foetus is a very serious matter.

I admit there could be certain circumstances but these have to be examined and assessed by experts. Any decision must be corroborated by a panel of medically qualified persons. There must not be any loopholes or ambiguities.

The killing of a foetus is murder under whatever guise and all religions and civilised people accept the maxim “though shall not kill”

Frans Said – St Paul’s Bay

The sins of desire

Recently, the American bishops issued their report on abortion and Holy Communion. And Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea Curmi stated that, in the womb, a woman carries somebody not something.

These two instances have reminded me of the Church’s teaching about sins of desire. When you wish some evil to befall someone, you commit a sin. If you desire something grave like someone’s death, then the sin is a mortal one.

However, it all depends on the case in question. It is one thing when words are uttered in the heat of argument and one says: “I wish you were dead.” Usually, in this instance, when this person calms down and returns to his senses, he realises that he did not really mean it.

But it is a totally different story where one wishes the destruction of an entire section of the population like unborn children, illegal immigrants or senior citizens with terminal illnesses.

If one were to support and vote for persons who, in parliament, intend to approve laws in favour of such killings, one will be indirectly responsible for every single murder that takes place.

Without judging any particular person, I strongly urge any convinced and practising Catholic who intends to vote for such candidates to think twice before deciding to receive Holy Communion, lest he/she commits a more serious sin, that is, sacrilege.

Edward Tagliaferro  – Paola

The right side of history

In his contribution on the French interlude (September 26), Charles Gauci, while lamenting about my laying the blame at the feet of political clergy, their allied merchants and Mdina notables for the peasants’ revolt of 1798, confirms what I had originally argued about the insurrection leaders (September 19).

When rightfully selecting cotton trader Caruana and notary Vitale as the two ‘generals’, Gauci overlooked to mention that F. X. Caruana was also a cathedral canon of the Church and Emanuele Vitale, the rector of the Confraternity of St Joseph in Rabat.

My published doctoral historical research, now in its third edition, on this crucial period of Maltese history seeks to be as veritable as is possible.

Scientific scrutiny and academic analysis, alas, do not always put past leaders on ‘the right side of history’.

Readers might also appreciate that, two centuries ago, Maltese society, illiterate in its majority, did not enjoy today’s democratic systems with the right to vote in referenda or elections.

Many leaders often represented their own and their cohorts’ interests rather than those of their oblivious inferior followers.

The wealthier clergy (most were sons of traders), employers and property owners, including the nobility, were the village protagonists of the time and most had to follow them or face preclusion.

Charles Xuereb – Sliema

Din from motorcycles

Is it possible for the authorities concerned, mainly, the police, Transport Malta and LESA officials, to start some kind of crackdown to stop the amount of noise from certain motorcycles?

Some of them drive through the night making the jets’ noise from performing air show aircraft a piffle.

Similar action should be taken against certain quad bikes and scramblers.

Some of them do not deserve to be on the road. Part of the accusations that Malta is too noisy belong to this category of transport. Welcome to e-motorcycles and cars.

Anthony Saliba – St Paul’s Bay

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