Danger on the pavement

Elderly people are being forced to walk on the roads wherever new pavements are being built.

The reasons are the dips and inclines in front of garages, introduced to accommodate garage owners. What is happening is that elderly people who are unwary of the dip or incline in the pavement, depending which way they are going, are finding the pavement to be a hazard.

Unless on the lookout, they are in danger of falling because of the sudden dislevel.

So they walk on the street rather than the pavements, which are built supposedly for pedestrian safety.

Roger Mifsud – Rabat

Let children be children

The Commissioner for Children, Pauline Miceli felt ‘uncomfortable’ when Rosianne Cutajar was filmed handing out candy to schoolchildren for Halloween.

Election time is around the corner and I wonder whether the commissioner will be comfortable to see the two main political parties displaying images of Maltese children on billboards up and down the country.

The accompanying photo shows a section of the massive billboard erected at the now-defunct fuel installation in Birżebbuġa. It is nothing but a political propaganda advert à la North Korea which verges on the dramatic. It includes images of children with their name and comment.

I find this very disturbing even if it is with the approval and blessing of their adoring, well-meaning parents.

Young children should not be exposed for political ends. They should not be politically indoctrinated but allowed to form their own beliefs and convictions as they mature.

Incidentally, the gentleman’s quote in the poster translates to “at long last my birthplace is breathing fresh air”.

The similarity of the gentleman’s first name with the current political use of a derogatory moniker of a folklore character is purely coincidental.

Victor Pisani – Santa Luċija

Setting the record straight

I write in response to the piece entitled ‘Grave risks of abortion pills’ (November 10), written by Tony Mifsud. As I am named in the piece (or, rather, misnamed as Mara Clark Klein), I wanted to correct a few errors.

The first is Mifsud’s statement that abortion pills are dangerous. Medical abortion pills are on the World Health Organisation’s list of essential medicines, even when taken outside of clinical setting. Medical abortion pills, made up of the medications Mifepristone and Misoprostol, are safer than paracetamol and safer than Viagra. Perhaps Mifsud could write some articles about the dangers of those.

I also wanted to correct another falsehood from the piece. Abortion Support Network does not, and has never, been a provider of medical abortion pills. Instead, we offer advice on the reputable online providers of medical abortion pills, Women Help Women and Women on Web.

We also give information about clinics abroad, advice on travel and COVID regulations as well as funding towards the cost of travel and accommodation for those who cannot afford it on their own. We ensure those who need abortions are given information about the safest providers of abortions, rather than using Google to obtain this information.

Mara Clarke, Founder, Abortion Support Network – UK

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