On the Dot...

The rubber flooring at the playing field in Rabat has been worn down to the bare concrete, and is now considered a danger to children. Also, at this sought-after playing field, the axiom "what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts," does not hold water because the only roundabout there is out of order.

Women's World?

A long time ago, forms were sent out to a number of women in Maltese society, the ultimate aim being the compilation of a directory under the general heading Maltese Society. To date, despite the fact that many have sent in their CVs and related information, nothing has been published. If this is the rate at which the Commission For the Advancement of Women functions, then, no doubt, equality will be a long time coming.

Whole Tooth

A resident of a town served by the Rabat health centre who, however, works at Mosta called at the Mosta health centre. She had a terrible toothache and hoped the dentist would see her. She was told she must go to "her own clinic", in Rabat, which would cost her an hour there and back in precious time off.

Cough It Up

Why is it that the staff of some clinics and health centres bend over backwards to be nice to people, whereas some individuals elsewhere appear to enjoy giving patients a hard time? Salbutamol and other medications absolutely necessary for treatment of asthma are covered by the yellow card system in some localities; one leaves the card and picks up the medication within a set period of time. The staff at a particular clinic, however, are adamant that the selfsame items "may only be picked up from St Luke's Hospital".

Alley Ways

The vicinity around Fra Diegu Street, in Blata l-Bajda has been allowed to fall into rack and ruin. The whole neighbourhood has a dowdy look about it; stray cats abound and, sometimes, the smell of open garbage bags they would have sifted through permeates the air.

Film Strip

A recent television programme about Malta's capital city indicated that just outside the city walls, and sometimes just within them too, lies a totally alien entity from the one with which the public is acquainted. What is being done by the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee to improve the looks of this area? How many, exactly, were the surprise inspections made in these areas to ascertain that there were no fighting dogs or illegal gambling dens?

Gap Generation

Students attending the Sixth Form often find, to their chagrin, a note on the noticeboard saying that a lecture will not be taking place after all. This is tough, especially if it is not immediately before or after another and entails wasted time that is not always profitably spent poring over books in the library, but more often than not elsewhere. Since not many students would be willing to pay for an SMS service to this effect, cannot a system be found where a nominal fee is paid by one to be included in an information service throughout the scholastic year?

Valley Floor

Another shabby area is Wied il-Ghasel, in Qormi. The song that has the last farmer there yearning for the good old days is now truer than ever since the place has become a dumping ground for all manner of rubbish.

In-Vigilators

In view of the large number of students sitting for their Matsec exams, would the Commissioner of Police or the local warden service providers consider deploying a number of personnel near examination centres? The chaos, especially that caused by cars dropping off or waiting for students, can be dangerous in different senses.

Road Blocks

Not so long ago the Malta Transport Authority rightly stopped a contractor from doing work on December 13 Road, Marsa because of inconvenience to traffic during certain hours. Well, the consortium entrusted with the road embellishment programme too is the cause of traffic bottlenecks at times.

Public Image

Why can't some civil servant - someone who is keen on whatever is the level of public image of the service at any point in time - be charged with the responsibility of constantly looking at the level of cleanliness in that big building across the road from the Curia where so many foreign residents living in Malta (and several Maltese too) regularly attend for service in the inland revenue's expatriates service? The lift there too is, more often than not, not in working order and the steep stairs hardly help many of these old people.