Village library

Various red telephone booths around Malta and Gozo are often full of rubbish, serving no purpose.

May I suggest we take up the charming and useful idea I came across in Għarb lately of having a small showcase with books hung on a wall in one of the streets.

The books will be available for anyone to take and replace for free?

The old, red telephone booths can be scattered around the villages – perhaps in a village square – and, after some shelving is added, any discarded books and magazines one may have can be placed there for anyone to take and read and, possibly, replace with other reading material for the villagers. 

The booths will serve a useful purpose and will be a good way to recycle books. 

They will serve as a free village library, besides keeping the nostalgic presence of the old booths.

Mary Attard – St Paul’s Bay

Failing to protect bank customers

A couple of weeks ago, I received a US draft for $61. I went to various banks to deposit into my account. APS and Lombard stated that they do not deal with foreign drafts anymore. BOV said that they offer this service but the draft has to be more than $250.

I wrote to the MFSA and was told to check the institution’s tariff of charges. APS and Lombard do not have any entry regarding foreign currency drafts. APS and Lombard do not mention this service while the BOV’s tariff of charges on this matter was: purchase of overseas foreign bank cheques 0.5% (Min. €10) per item.

I shared this information with the MFSA and they promised to contact the bank. A couple of reminders later, I was told that “the authority has been in touch with all retail banks and that they have updated or are amending their tariff of charges and comparison tool with the necessary capping data. Since conversion costs may potentially exceed or erode a substantial value of the cheque, it appears that all banks who do offer the service of foreign cheque deposits are enforcing limitations. Additionally, some banks will only accept deposits of foreign checks drawn on local banks.”

What is worrying is that the MFSA, an institution set up for the protection of consumers and the supervision of all financial services activities, has abdicated on the topic. 

Did it ask and, as the regulator, assess the impact on consumers receiving a foreign cheque in any denomination and not being able to cash them?

Such behaviour by the regulator only enforces the belief of many that, as an institution, it is failing to protect the consumer and only seems to exist to cuddle up to the service providers and act as their lapdog.

Connie Bonnici – Attard 

Why the delay?

An elderly relative of mine had a fall and suffered a serious fracture of her leg that requires surgery. She has now been in hospital for a week. Her required surgery has been postponed day after day with no indication of when it might happen. Depression is settling in. 

This is disturbing and completely unacceptable. I appeal to whomever is responsible to look into this deplorable situation and remedy it without further delay. 

Joseph Galea – Sliema 

Unforgiven

Stealing is a sin which, even if confessed, will not be forgiven until and unless what has been stolen is returned to its rightful owner(s).

Only God knows how many ‘unforgivens’ are walking around.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar