Free contraceptives

Health Minister Chris Fearne has been quoted as saying that free contraceptives will reduce the number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Other countries have experienced just the opposite phenomenon. It’s a bit presumptuous to believe that Malta will buck the trend.

Carmel Sciberras MD FRCS – Naxxar

The big fish

Recently, I came across a quote by Aesop, the Greek fabulist and storyteller, namely: “We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” Very well said.

Comparisons can be odious but it’s impossible not to think of what is happening today in Malta.

Emily Barbaro-Sant – Mosta

E-scooters need to be regularised

I would like to reiterate what many other irritated people living on this island have been saying for quite a while, namely that e-scooters need to be regularised in terms of a road licence and safety measures.

Recently, I was driving in a main thoroughfare in Santa Venera when I ended up right behind a green e-scooter (not motorcycle) driven by a gentleman who had one hand on the handlebar while the other was casually holding a briefcase.

This gentleman was zigzagging in front of me, naturally holding up traffic behind him but, more than anything, since he was swerving happily in front of me, holding on with one hand, this was an accident waiting to happen.

I honked my horn once and twice to alert his attention, only to have him swear at me in a foreign language. I shrugged this off, managed to overtake safely and continued driving. As I came to a stop at the roundabout between Santa Venera and Qormi, something smashed into my left side mirror, jolted me to my senses and kept on moving forward.

To say I got a fright is putting it mildly. I pulled up my hand brake and went out to see what happened. The same gentleman, who was happily driving his e-scooter in front of me before, sped away,  of course, with my left side mirror smashed and left dangling.

I went back into my car and drove home, took photos of the damage and drove back to the Qormi police station to file a report. It was clear there was not much the police could do, even going as far as telling me they receive a lot of reports and complaints due to these e-scooters.

 I wonder when the minister responsible for transport in this country will realise that these so called ‘motorists’ are not only endangering themselves but also putting other motorists at risk.

One can frequently see e-scooters zigzagging through traffic in busy main roads as well as in tunnels, not to mention the e-scooters being left in odd places once they are no longer needed.

An article in Times of Malta recently reported the transport minister saying that “for now” there is no plan to make helmet-wearing mandatory, despite Transport Malta having recommended that helmets should be worn.

I am by no means against alternative modes of transport, but their introduction and usage should complement other modes of transport and ensure they pose no danger to anyone, including pedestrians and motorists.

Lara Caruana – Naxxar