Slow traffic and late ambulances

The other day, I had a sad 30-minute experience watching a 30-year-old man writhing in pain on a plastic chair comforted by three work colleagues, all foreign, and three policemen all waiting patiently for an ambulance. They were just passive observers of a man in such pain that he was half bent forward, continuously clutching his lower abdomen and striving to find a less painful sitting position. Eventually, he abandoned the chair and stretched out supine on the ground.

This happened in the morning at St Paul’s Bay, which, despite being, in summer, the most populated locality, does not even have a health centre. How is it that the health department has not created, say, five ambulance hubs strategically distributed so that emergencies anywhere can be dealt with in 10 minutes? Why does an ambulance, in our diminutive island, have to take over 30 minutes to arrive on site? It’s the traffic, exasperatingly congested, many will say. So, is that it? Are we helpless and contented?

Why does an ambulance, in our diminutive island, have to take over 30 minutes to arrive on site? File photo: Times of Malta

The police are advised not to touch the victim before he has been examined by the medics. I think the police and the medical authorities should put their heads together and work out a solution. In this case, an ambulance could have left from Xemxija, picked up the patient and rushed to Mater Dei Hospital or the Mosta health centre. The police and ambulance drivers know it is much faster to go from Qawra to Mosta than vice versa.

I hope no one suspects that I have in any way hinted that this lamentable service is reserved for coloured foreign persons. This is simply the norm for all of us due to our insufferable traffic congestion and some managerial deficits. So, one hopes that we will not hear, neither sooner nor later, of cases of relatives of fat cats finding themselves in a similar situation being lifted by a helicopter and whisked off to the nearest hospital of their choice in record time. 

Joseph Agius – St Paul’s Bay

Sorted

Following the kind advice by Wasteserv’s CEO, last night, I replaced my frozen rabbit and chicken legs in my fridge/freezer (due for cooking today) with my stenchy good for nothing organic bag (a packet I obtained from our local council tears into smithereens), which I shall take out tomorrow.

So, what’s the big deal? It can be done. Simple.

Anthony Saliba – St Paul’s Bay

Unpaid fines

Every so often, we are told about the number of fines dished out for all sorts of law infringements. What we are never told is how many of these fines are actually paid.

I believe it is in the public interest to know.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar