On the Dot...

Among the country`s most audacious motorists are those driving the government`s GVN-registered cars. The driver of GVN-088 last Wednesday morning at 8.45 did not dare stop for a pedestrian about to take the zebra crossing near the war monument - he was coming at such speed he would not have stopped his car in the distance available to him.

Paragons

Perhaps the head of the civil service could make it his business to tell heads of department, and on down the chain of command, that government cars do not give their drivers the right to abuse driving rules, but that rather they should be an example.

Square Paraphernalia

There can hardly be a parish square more visited than that at Rabat, where aesthetics have never been given any attention. Vying for attention with the grand church building are plastic and metal shop awnings, metal shutters, garish shop signs and imported tiling on shop fronts.

Square Blind Eye

Rabat wardens are not known as driver bashers. But they could warn motorists, if they will not book them, not to obstruct the five parking spaces available for motorcyclists on the parish square, which are always blocked by illegally parked cars.

Road Show

The fine weather has meant that many boat owners have seen it fit to prepare their craft for the season. Unfortunately, some of them appear to think that they have a divine right to park these, if not in front of their residences - since there they park their vehicles - just a little way along the road, using up precious parking space for people who also live, or work, in the vicinity.

Look and Learn

The Department of Education is currently drawing up a type of inventory indicating the needs of different schools, so that resources would be utilised as economically as possible. It could do much worse than allocate several litres of whitewash and paint to bring a spot of life to the Zabbar primary schools; the general atmosphere is akin to that of the Dickensian era. Any leftover money could be spent on giving a water-blast to the sides of St Elmo School in Valletta, with the aim of replacing, if not removing, the chicken wire at the windows.

Palmed Off

Several palm trees were planted to beautify the Villino Chappelle area between upper Bugibba and St Paul`s Bay. Unfortunately, the type chosen was a type that obviously needs much aftercare. No doubt, the near-constant streams of traffic passing by do not help.

Ducks and Drakes

There was a time when the Il-Maghluq area of Marsascala appeared to be reviving itself; a walk along it was worth it, even if this was only to view the ducks. However, the place no longer attracts. The water is stagnant, with the situation probably no better due to the copious amounts of food and litter thrown in. The place looks like a water-borne garbage truck.

Safe as Houses?

Health and safety officers usually convene on the spot after an accident would have occurred. One wonders how many of them regularly visit building and other sites, making sure that anyone working at a height of more than two metres wears a safety harness and other safety gear.

How protected are workers against environmental noise and vibrations caused by machinery?

Culture (non-) Vultures

Latest statistics show that 70 per cent of the population have not visited museums or other historical sites during the past year. Perhaps the introduction of family days, where guided tours are offered but entrance fees are reduced for groups of two or more people, would help?

Game, Set...

The Matriculation and Secondary Examination Certificates Examination Board has sent the promised letter of apology to students sitting for this year`s Intermediate Level English Examination Session, held on May 10. It states, inter alia, that "potential stress on the candidates will also be considered" and that "students will not be penalised for errors caused by ambiguous instructions on the paper". One hopes that these criteria will also be applied where, in other examinations, students could have done better, and suffered emotional or other harm. Errors in the paper loom larger under examination conditions.

...and Match?

Rumours are already circulating to the effect that next year, on the occasion of the Small Nations Games, all examinations that would have been held during the duration of the games will be postponed. This would bring them around nigh on July, when the heat will be uncomfortable.

Water, Water

School children were recently treated to a performance of Dancing Water at the national pool at Tal-Qroqq. Unfortunately, no provision was made for the fact that people who usually make use of the amenities are usually dressed for it, i.e. with a sunhat, sunspecs, and high-factor sunscreen, and they do not remain in the heat so much. On the other hand, this was a "captive audience", wearing heat-retaining clothes, and there was not enough shelter for everyone. Some more forethought would not have gone amiss.

Rock On

On Saturday, April 20, a truck carrying building debris, was driving along the coast road in the direction of Maghtab with large, loose stone perched on top of the carrier. Moreover, the rubble was not suitably covered; tiny stones fell through the gaps between the flimsy material and the vehicle. Had the driver braked to avoid a collision, even the large stones would have fallen off.