On the Dot...

The police should nip the practice in the bud... at Rabat for the feast of Corpus Christi a new practical "joke" came up: young people laying stink bombs among the crowd, and having a laugh at the turned up noses. The stink bombs are readily available in shops.

Second Thoughts?

The Labour Party, as everyone knows, says it is against political party participation in local government, but fields candidates for local elections because the Nationalist Party does. But only last week the Labour leader said local councillors were one of the party's main resources.

No Resignation

There were serious doubts about the real reason behind the resignation of Bob Macgregor (as chief executive of Maltapost) Super 1 Radio reported last Thursday, 24 hours after the announcement was made in a company press release. In fact there were no doubts at all - Mr Macgregor had not resigned, he had been removed.

Bin There

The minute a garbage bin overflows, and one single piece of litter falls to the ground, passers by assume that chucking their rubbish next to it is the done thing. A dirty environment passes on the subtle message that it's no use doing one's part. Regular checks ought to be made to see that bins are emptied regularly.

Upwardly "Mobile"

It is interesting to note that increasingly there are other things vying with the gross domestic product to be taken as an indication of how well the country is doing. The number of students per computer in state primary schools, or the number of mobile telephones, or the number of people to each private vehicle, are being touted more in this regard, for instance.

Sell-By Dates

Wardens are well-known for their habit of issuing parking tickets to motorists who do not park strictly within parking bays, as well they should. However, one wonders how many fines are issued to owners of mechanics' shops and car hire garages, who take up precious parking space by plonking down vehicles awaiting their attention.

Future Tense

How long is it since the gentlemen's toilet near the St Luke's Hospital Outpatients Department has seen a good scrubbing with disinfectant and bleach? The place looks, and smells, as if it has not been cleaned for well over a year.

Service Stationary

It's been a long time since the last car-free day. Roll on summer. Just as it's been a long time since any politician repeated the gimmick of trying to access certain spots in the capital while using a wheelchair. Meanwhile, the amount of air and noise pollution caused by an incessant stream of vehicles in certain areas is just as bad. And many public buildings remain inaccessible to some people.

Numbers Game

The number of letters and numbers included as a security measure in the newly issued identity cards beggars belief. It reminds one of old-style computer printers that spewed out symbols when they malfunctioned. Worse, they leave no place for the inclusion of one's blood type, dependents, or social security number, which are all handy to have at one's fingertips.

Game, Set...

How long does it take to assign a home help to an elderly person who lives alone? In at least one case, a broken limb has meant that this person is absolutely dependent upon others for help. Since the head office says that no one is available, this person has had to rely on what amounts to charity, and often unreliable at that, since February.

...and Matchmaking

It would be ethical were all estate agents to consult owners of property they have been commissioned to sell, before doing certain things. For instance, there is the odious practice of affixing posters all over the façade. And where more than one agent has been consulted, it is not the first time that rival firms affix a poster over that of another company.

Taxing Matters

Try cashing a cheque at any bank within a few hours from the time of death of a person; the stop payment process will already be in effect. However, the Inland Revenue Department sees it fit to keep on sending returns until several years after a person has died.

Calling Birds

Some Maltacom employees need a crash course in customer relations. The management of one particular establishment came to an agreement with them that works would be carried out within the time bracket of noon to 4 p.m., when the business would be closed. As things turned out, the workers turned up between 4 and 7 p.m., cutting off the land telephone lines.