On the Dot...

Certain pavements, such as the ones in Cathedral Street, Sliema, St Christopher Street, Valletta, and Marina Street, in Pietà, as well as several others all over the island, are in a pitiful state. One hopes they will be seen to as soon as possible before winter sets in, with the rainwater careening down the streets.

Screen Tests

Public servants recently received an e-mail which stated that heating food in plastic containers, freezing water in plastic bottles and wrapping food directly with cling wrap were all situations that may make dioxins leak into what is then consumed. Seeing that many outlets still sell food that is thus packaged and have ice-cold water available from the freezers one would have thought that this practice would have been discontinued by now.

Toy Story

Feasts are the ideal time for hawkers and shops to get rid of tat. One was under the impression that "war" toys, especially the assault-rifle type of "weapons", and doll toys dressed in combat gear and the like, were not to be sold any more locally. Yet, these have once more somehow found their way into shops and stall-holders booths.

Sites to See

The Fleur-De-Lys bring-in site is occasionally cleared up of all the overflowing bags, boxes and loose rubbish that surround the skips. However, this is not done often enough, since it is impossible for such a huge amount of rubbish to accumulate in one week. Indeed, people often go there, intending to leave their household garbage in the separate containers but turn away in disgust and chuck everything out, pell-mell, for the dustman to collect later.

Language Laboratories

The Guzè Ellul Mercer Foundation is to be praised for its Sajf Maghna initiative, in which children from the Cottonera area (Kalkara, Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua) are being given fun language lessons, twice a week. However, there is only one snag - the age band for these activities is rather narrow, the catchment age being 8-10 years old inclusive. One hopes that next year, if enough interest is shown, more children will be able to attend.

Down Hill

Triq l-Ispartani, corner with Mountbatten Street, in Blata l-Bajda, has become the unofficial collection site for garbage bags. A mound of bags accumulates there gradually, until the official collection time. No doubt it is convenient to everyone, householders, collectors, and stray animals and vermin alike. However it looks careless.

Square Pegs

Mice are often seen, especially at night, caught in car headlamps, crossing the stretch of road between the unofficial parking lot at Rabat and the Roman Villa area and the entrance to Mdina. No doubt, they find enough sustenance in the contents of the skips around the car park. Come to think of it, the impasse about the whole area still obtains; it has, so far, neither been excavated for its archaeological content, neither given a level surface suitable for the purpose of its current use.

Plastic Bagging

Gone are the days when people visited grocers' shops clutching empty bottles of edible oil to be re-filled; this type of recycling was not considered hygienic. Similarly, itinerant kerosene sellers, where they still exist, have no time for filling bottles. Funnily enough, however, these "convenience packages" do not fall under the polluter pays regulations that the eco-tax envisages.

Trains of Thought

Some of the lecturers at the university appear to spend more time concentrating on their other interests, when they ought to be giving nearly their all to their day jobs. One wonders whether this has anything to do with the abysmal lack of basic education that our graduates appear to be acquiring more and more as the years roll by.

Fountain of Knowledge

Why is it that despite the fact that the Pietà marina gardens are probably the best kept of all the public places in Malta, the fountain appears to have been forgotten? Surely, if it worked, and especially so if it were lit up at night, it would give a better overall impression of the place!

Dirty washing

The Bugibba Square end of St Anthony Street is a prime tourist area. An outlet there continuously discharges dirty water on the pavement. It should be made to use proper drains or else face a hefty fine.