Public need comes before personal greed

Apparently the reason that roadworks remain unfinished – and even that the Marsalforn breakwater and the Gozo cruise-liner quay and marina extension can’t be started – is that the government can’t find the labourers to work on any of these projects.

This could be because they are all currently employed on private building (known, incongruously, as “development”) work. But government plans – intended to increase prosperity, improve infrastructure and contribute to the economy – should take precedence over all the current and future private planning applications, most of which will do none of those things.

So the obvious answer is to put all new private building on hold, on the reasonable grounds that there are insufficient labourers available to do new work – until all the government’s projects have been completed – because public need is more important than personal greed.

And if it is the case that private employers simply pay better rates, then the government needs to re-examine its conditions and pay scales for what is, in any case, mostly casual work.

While it mulls over this idea, the government should embark on a full check on national insurance and social security payments from casual employees on building sites and maybe take a look at health-and-safety compliances at the same time.

Revel Barker – Għajnsielem

Danger in Xemxija

The steep road leading to Xemxija, turning to bus stop ‘Pawlu’, is a very dangerous spot.

The authorities should not wait for a serious accident to happen in order to comply with repeated calls for the necessary measures. Buses, trucks, construction vehicles, motor bikes and now electric scooters come down this slope with excessive speed, close to the narrow pavement. The bend down the road makes drivers do a blind turn that can result in a tragic incident when people, especially those of a certain age, happen to cross that road.

Can signs be set up for vehicles to slow down, a speed limit determined and slowdown strips laid to indicate the need for caution?

Joseph Galea – Birkirkara

Annoyance

Quite a few people are wondering on who (or what) will annoy Joseph Muscat enough for him to consider a return to the political fray.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar

An easy buck

I received a notification from Maltapost indicating that I received an A5 sized packet from the UK and the VAT due was €4.  So far so good. I was quite surprised, however, to see that Maltapost’s “processing fees” (for customs clearance) amounted to €5, more than the VAT paid!

I acknowledge the fact that Maltapost needs to charge a fee for the customs clearance process but I am sure readers will agree that what I have been charged does not really make sense. I sincerely hope that Maltapost will not take advantage of the current state of affairs and push forward to make an easy buck!

Alessandro Vella – Żabbar

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