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Your Letters
A
Drydocks’ management problem
From Michael John Turner, Zejtun
In a recent article it was mentioned that the captain of the super
yacht Southern Cross "refused to accept paintwork on the
vessel's topsides, on the grounds that the end product turned
out to be full of dust particles and what is called an "orange
peel" effect. The spray painters told their chargeman that
they could not do better."
This
work, which was the only subcontracted work in dispute, took place
outside the drydocks at the Manoel Island Yacht Yard.
It
is well known that the drydocks workers are capable of carrying
out excellent subcontract work, a prime example of which is the
new roof on St. Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral, completed on time
under pressure.
Anyone
who has experience of super yacht building, maintenance, fitting
and finishing, as my own family does, knows that in order to achieve
the necessary highest standard finish it is vital to work under
perfect conditions. Dust must be kept completely away from the
work site, and the prepared surfaces must be kept uncontaminated
or there will be the risk of the "orange peel" effect.
The yacht captain was quite right to reject the delivered job.
However
the job should never have been undertaken unless the work conditions
were adequate, and senior management should have ensured this
and the senior management should have been present in order to
ensure from the first second that the job was proceeding satisfactorily.
This
is not a workers problem, this is poor management; the workers
did their duty and told the charge man they could not do better,
but if the management had done their duty, the problem should
not have arisen in the first place.
Strangely,
the subsidies issue is very timely; since the New York atrocity
we are witness to a massive upheaval in the airline industry which
has for years slowly undermined the viability of shipping, shipbuilding
and ship servicing.
Suddenly
the airways are suspect, companies are laying off workers and
freight is piling up all over the world in warehouses and factories.
In
such circumstances it may well be that the whole shipping sector
has a considerable revival for several decades, being seen as
a slower but more dependable method of transport.
What a massive turnaround if suddenly the dockyards and shipbuilders
(and Freeport) suddenly became the jewels in Malta's economic
crown - certainly if there is a downturn in air travel the tourist
industry will be hard hit. At least those who grumble at the years
of subsidies will realise that it may well have been worth it.
Furthermore,
if the Freeport is to be sold off, after New York there should
be a far higher price placed on it - no more bargain basement
sell-offs, the taxpayer needs the money.
The
people have a right to know what their money is supporting
From Sharon Camilleri, Kent, UK
There is
a great deal of uncertainty at present about the aims of the SPCA,
and the priorities of the present committee of that organisation.
There has
been much speculation about why Ms Shephard had been "removed"
as an employee, particularly since the committee are also attempting
to remove her from a post to which she was democratically ELECTED
by members who have confidence in her ability to fulfil that role.
Such actions on the part of any committee are bound to set alarm
bells ringing.
Given that
Mary Shephard was openly opposed to a policy of destroying healthy
dogs solely for the convenience of selfish and irresposible owners,
it is not unreasonable that concerned members of the public might
fear that that her "removal" as executive secretary
of the SPCA may signify that the so-called "collect and kill"
policy is now to be adopted, and it is only natural that concerned
members of the public should ask the SPCA committee for clarification
on this point.
It was not
that long ago that the SPCA was at the centre of controversy and
scandal - the lives and the wellbeing of the animals was far from
uppermost in the mind of that previous, incompetent, committee.
It had been hoped that a new committee would bring new hope to
the organisation. The appointed executive secretary, Mary Shephard
was clearly dedicated and committed to the animals above and beyond
all else - which is what the SPCA is supposed to be about. Mary
Shephard worked hard to try to restore the much tarnished image
of the organisation, and to introduce some transparency into the
system, to ensure that the former atrocities could not recur.
In "removing" her the SPCA committee appear to be more
interested in forwarding their own aims rather than those of the
animals they were elected to protect.
It is vital
for this committee to spell out exactly what they stand for. We
cannot, and should not, blindly support them - history has already
shown us that. The SPCA are funded by public money, as well as
membership fees and donations, and therefore the public has a
right to know what their money is supporting. After all, the SPCA
can only be as good and as useful as the committee leading it.
If that committee is not interested in putting the welfare of
the animals at the forefront of all they do, they have no business
being part of the SPCA.
Supporting an incompetent SPCA committee will not help the animals.
If there is a destructive element on the committee, it is in the
animals' interest to purge it, and the purging should be done
by the membership, at an emergency general meeting.
I urge animal
lovers to support the animals who cannot speak for themselves.
The
post
From Philip
M. Bonello, Paola
I attended a course and received the certificates by post at home.
The envelope
was opened and torn and there were tyre marks on it, while the
certificates inside were stained. How's that for a postal service?
Not
at the local council
From Kenneth
Brincat – Floriana local council
Please be informed that in an edition of 'MaltaToday' under the
heading 'Labour Deputy smells corruption at Tal-Qroqq hospital'
it was inadvertently stated that Dr Michael Farrugia MP addressed
a general meeting at the Floriana local council. We would appreciate
it if you will kindly inform your readers that no general meeting
of any sort was held at the Floriana local council and still less
that it was addressed by Dr Farrugia.
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