Planning our own doom

Sometimes, people bring about their own doom. People have asked the question why the Maltese civilisation that built the magnificent megalithic temples became extinct.

Was it because we spent too much energy, material and time on building the temples, such that our resources were exhausted? Did we invite the same destiny as the Easter Island population, claimed by some authors to have over-harvested and over-hunted, to the point of drying up the resources that supported the population?

And medical archaeologists are also telling us that we caused our own extinction in the past through too much in-breeding.

Are we now planning our own doom?

At the very moment when the finance minister admitted that Malta must change its economic model, we see a delegation of real estate negotiators go to London to sell off Maltese land, our most precious and rarest resource.

All this while, this finite resource, land, is being severely degraded by an economic model that wants us to build much more than is good for us.

Our green areas are dwindling, our quality of life is suffering, housing affordability is decreasing and our young people want out.

And, through all this, this selling off of Maltese land is not only unrestrained but also sponsored and blessed by the government, which even sent a minister and the country’s high commissioner to join and welcome this questionable delegation.

Is pre-history repeating itself?

Charles Pace – Birkirkara

Mrieħel bypass

Access to the Central Business District from the Mrieħel Bypass has been blocked off. Photo: Jonathan Borg

I was very concerned to read the report about the possible scrapping of the traffic lights on the Mrieħel bypass that control entry to the Central Business District.

I had been very pleased when they were first installed as it made the right turn into the CBD much safer. Before then, drivers had to wait for a possible gap in the traffic on what is a very fast road.

I have never noticed any effect on traffic flow – safety should be the primary concern.

Geoff White – Kalkara

Useless notices

There is nothing more stupid than Transport Malta sticking notices to some bus stops to inform the public about route diversions, closure of roads, etc. Once the date on the notice passes they should be removed.

But no! They are left there for the enjoyment of all, like the one in Buġibba informing commuters in June that, on Monday, January 23 (more than five months ago), there was going to be a route diversion towards the Buġibba terminus.

Will staff at Transport Malta please stop warming their seats and take action?

Joseph Cachia – St Paul’s Bay