Double glazing and its benefits

Tony Borg is spot on in advocating double glazing in order to keep temperature and noise under control inside the home (March 20). Indeed, in the UK (and I would imagine in any other responsibly governed country) double glazing has been compulsory in new builds since 2002. We bought our house 26 years ago and it already had full double glazing installed then, which we have since upgraded.

Until recently, I owned a property in Mellieħa Bay and I had double glazing installed on the (standard size) sliding balcony doors facing the afternoon sun.  That considerably reduced the temperature and, consequently, reduced the energy consumed by the air-conditioning units. External noise was virtually eliminated altogether.

The downside is that, when the glass on one of the sliding doors needed replacing due to accidental damage, I was charged €400 by the greedy sharks that provide these services on the island. The initial installation of both doors had cost only €250 but it was obvious to them I had no choice in the circumstances. I was only on a flying visit and had no time to shop around and security of the property was paramount.

However, the cost should drop eventually when installation becomes part of the build and a wider choice exists of companies providing the service. But don’t hold your breath!

Paul Brincau – Uxbridge, UK

Still waiting

The car with the police notice and LESA booking.

On February 22, through the Times of Malta, I brought to the attention of the commissioner of police that there was a note stuck to a car (photo) on January 11 that warned that “if this vehicle is not removed from this place within eight days from the date of this notice, this vehicle shall be removed by the Commissioner of Police at the expense of the owner”.

Just to remind him  that now, in March, the car is still there, at the end of Alofjo Wignacourt Street, in Buġibba but with a difference. Now it is adorned with a ticket from some LESA official. Good going, Mr Commissioner of Police.

Joseph Cachia – St Paul’s Bay

Superstition and sanctimony

While the rot and corruption in Maltese society continue to be exposed, superstition and sanctimony are on the rise.

In addition to the ‘blessing’ of houses, business premises, animals and babies there is a new fad for blessing all sorts of inanimate objects, including boats and school bags.

Feasts have become ‘solemnities’; processions are called ‘pilgrimages’; churches have been transformed into ‘sanctuaries’ and ‘basilicas’.

In the churches, there is a mania for restoring all kinds of religious kitsch; among some adult males, a fad for playing with cribs and toy churches.

Good Friday processions have become spectacles and shows, featuring ‘Roman’ soldiers dressed to the hilt in their ‘Sunday best’ on the way to a grim crucifixion.

Every religious effigy in Malta is supposedly ‘miraculous’. None of them prevented the loss of 828 Maltese lives resulting from COVID infection.

John Guillaumier – St Julian’s