What’s really happening?

I grew up in Malta and I recall many endless walks among green lush areas between cities and villages.

Where are they now? Why aren’t politicians protecting our environment?

Doesn’t the land belong to all the Maltese people and not to the few who want to exploit the land for their own profit?

Aren’t greed and corruption the route of all evil? Do they not bring destruction to everything?

This onslaught on the precious Maltese lands and its environment, which we hold dear to our hearts, must be stopped. There are no ‘ ifs’ or ‘buts’ about it.

We as a unified Maltese nation must rise above the politicians who are supposed to protect Malta and its people and fight with words and actions to support the land which belongs to everyone and not to the few.

We must do this now to protect our environment for future generations before it gets worse than it already is.

Marianna Mallia – Floriana

Shop frontals

In the light of Giovanni Bonello’s excellent coverage (May 8), I feel it a duty – given also that we are this year recording the century from his birth – to record the stylistic design “revolution” which the late renowned artist, interior decorator, and muralist Frank Portelli had introduced in many new shop frontals all over Malta and Gozo.

One notes in all the pictures presented by Bonello that these are facades which have, and leave, customers on the outside of the shop. By contrast, Portelli’s new frontal designs were such as “eliminating” the shop outside/inside distinction.

Unconsciously and imperturbably, the shop window viewer would in fact find himself inside the shop from an initial look at the facade. Brilliant conceptualisation, design and execution.

John Consiglio – Birkirkara

Using taxpayers’ money properly

The scheme Irrestawra Darek is a slap in the face for those of us who have restored the facades of our houses without asking for assistance and did not expect others to subsidise us.

Why spend taxpayers’ money on a scheme which benefits only a few? Why not spend it on something everyone benefits from, like fixing the pavements, for instance? These are in a very sorry state everywhere you go.

I often have to walk looking down instead of ahead because I have lost count of the number of times I have twisted an ankle walking on pavements with uneven surfaces, holes or broken drain covers.

Once, I fell on an uneven pavement. I cracked my ankle, which swelled up like an elephant’s foot.

When the radiologist asked me how it happened, his response to my answer was: “If they fix all the pavements in Malta, I would be out of a job.”

Says it all.

Sandra Davis – Ta’ Xbiex