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editorial
Roads to weather the storm
It seems there is a pattern to our winter weather on this little
island.
No, we are not talking about the unpredictable and sudden storms
that catch us unawares and unprotected, before vanishing as quickly
as they appeared.
We are referring to the barrage of craters and holes on our roads
that make a post-tempest appearance as regularly as the black
clouds make way for the welcome sunshine.
Over the past few years, Maltese car owners have been regaled
by assurances that our roads are to be enhanced, improved and
even, perhaps, brought out of their third world, cavity-ridden
existence into smooth and quality-tarmacked throughways that we
will be proud of and hopefully reduce our puncture quota on.
But surprise, surprise, a few downpours blitzed us earlier in
the week, and most of our roads once again resemble a slice of
Swiss cheese.
Probably experts will rally to inform us that the new roads, which
we are told are slowly (being the operative word) but surely sprouting
up around the island, have a far superior surface and will, literally,
weather the fierce Mediterranean storms that we randomly experience.
But what about the plentiful older and more neglected roads, which
are the ones that most of us have to put our cars, their suspensions
and axles through on a daily basis?
Just last week workmen were diligently filling in holes along
the Salina Road, causing chaos and great inconvenience to drivers.
Since Tuesday night's downpour, lo and behold, most of those craters
are with us once again, greeting our wheels and whiplashing our
necks like old buddies.
Whose money was used to fill these cavities for such a brief spell
and where was the highly-publicised new tarmac when last week's
work was taking place?
Let's hope that the new roads, which seem to be moving ahead at
the pace of a tortoise who has reached pensionable age, live up
to the hype that we have been given. But if we are to accept the
fact that realistically, budget constraints mean it will take
years to bring our road network up to scratch, something has to
be done to make the journeys we undergo on a daily basis a little
less like a trip across the moon.
This means holes that get filled must stay filled….unless
the authorities would prefer to begin offering a puncture allowance
per motorist…
Your town, your vote
In two weeks' time, the residents of some 20 localities will be
going to the polls.
Unfortunately, local council elections, like everything else,
have been caught up in political polemics since the day the councils
were set up. After some initial dispute and debate, the Labour
party has entered the local electioneering fray and is putting
forward candidates with a vengeance. Alternattiva Demokratika,
however, is nowhere to be seen for the March elections. We have
also witnessed the demise of another much-missed and respected
symbol, the truly independent candidate – who stood for a
lot of what these elections should be about – improving and
taking pride in the locality.
There is little doubt that local councils have led to great improvements
in our towns and villages, be they street furniture, recreational
facilities or social functions, in the true spirit of civic pride.
Let us hope that when people go to the polls in two weeks, they
do their best to put political allegiance second to what they
believe their candidates can offer to the community.
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