|
12:10, Thursday 22 June, saw me at the offices of the Minister of Transport Jesmond Mugliett insisting that I speak with him, albeit without having pre-set an appointment.
There was an acceptable half hour’s wait – he had people in with him – but we had a talk then. My reason for being there was to do with this barbaric business of having cab-horses wait in the ferocious sun whilst their owners plied the tourist trade, and the matter therefore needed his most urgent attention. I find it of monumental cruelty that these animals are – and have been, for decades, so ill-used and abused by their owners, first and foremost and by a somewhat uncaring public (bar a few) for second place.
To boot, any efforts made by the various government ministers responsible for animal welfare have, in this case, been half-hearted and paltry, hardly producing any result worth writing home about. I suggested that the minister legislate for reduced hours – no animals on the road between noon and four o’ clock in the afternoon. Tourists are by that time lunching somewhere or in their hotels. The horses need to be rested and watered and kept out of the sun in these hours and heavy penalties should apply, like traffic tickets when regulations are broken. And how about having the karozzini on the roads between early and late evening – say six to midnight. Valletta is awesome by night, so is Mdina and Zurrieq, to say nothing of our little villages – I am sure most would better enjoy a romantic karrozin ride then, in our balmy evenings, especially if fares were regulated, like taxis, for instance, where tourists and locals alike would not feel cheated.
The minister did say that he had ‘registered’ my suggestion, and I believe him. I will, however add that reluctance to take a firm stand by the people who can make a difference in situations like this, is unwarranted – our elected MPs are not there to sweep unpleasant tasks under the carpet – they are there to govern and legislate and most of them do: they increase our taxes, our water and electricity rates, our fuel, there are horrendous duties to pay on every bit of legal document etc. So they cannot expect to be liked, but such are the rules of the game. I can reluctantly put up with the man in the street being lackadaisical about doing what is right, but it worries me greatly when my MPs dither at signing on the dotted line putting paid, at one fell swoop, to the inhumane treatment these noble creatures have to suffer, at the hands of greedy, selfish, ignorant men.
Marika Grotjans
Qawra
|
