|
A few weeks ago I was returning to Sliema from Valletta when I witnessed this strange occurrence. The bus driver was continuously chatting with his wife and children. The wife was reading to him the next week’s roster while he was supposed to be driving and giving the right change. When we reached the Ferries he asked them whether they would like something to drink. He double-parked the bus at the bottom of Tower Road and went to join the queue waiting to be served. Eventually after several minutes he returned, hande ice cream and drinks to his family and continued driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding his coke.
One cannot imagine what a traffic jam this driver caused by his stupid antics. I noted the number of the bus and the time so that I would report the matter. Later I had second thoughts and I decided that it had been a result of the man’s stupidity. I felt that if this breadwinner lost his job it would be a disaster for his family.
Persons of his calibre should be made to undergo proper training.
F. Formosa
I do not wish to go into Brand Malta’s effectiveness or lack thereof, but the tourism crisis problem is an extremely complicated one. We cannot as Maltese citizens wash our hands and blame it solely on the present government. On a recent walk below the walls of Valletta I could not help but notice that every single spotlight highlighting our beautiful heritage has been vandalised. Who is so puerile as to condone such behaviour?
The “culture” of indifference so inherently present within some of us has to change and this change can start within you and me, with little things. It is all very well to go with the current and accept corruption, bad driving, tax evasion (and that happens whenever we accept to pay anyone underhand in cash). It happens each time we dispose of our rubbish incorrectly, smoke in a non-smoking zone, ignore permit applications where such are required. We can no longer bring up the wrong doing of others as pretext for our own.
Next on our list is pride. Let us have some interest in our village history and make sure we preserve our heritage, and find ways of enhancing the appearance of our area. Let’s start organising a volunteer clean-up of a public area close to our habitat every two months. Did we start off a DIY job in front of our house and did not finish it? Then let’s make it a point to do so. I cannot help but think of the success that the people from Birgu have had simply by feeling proud of their area. Birgu has become highly valued by both the Maltese who want to buy property and the tourists wanting to visit.
We must all appreciate that giving that something extra, being extra helpful to visitors will give us all a better future. Last winter I was in one of Valletta’s oldest and most beautifully decorated coffee shop and was served by a young and beautiful waitress in her early twenties. I could not help but pointing out to her that most customers would gladly tip her big time were she to just smile and look as though serving her clients was a great pleasure to her. Even if that were not the case with each customer, she would feel much the better for it irrespectively.
This is not to say that we must not hound the authorities when someone’s financial interests come before their respect for the islands. We must continue to put pressure on the government to do something about Valletta in general and more so about its entrance. The plans by Renzo Piano would have put Malta on the map in the same way that the Guggenheim did wonders for Bilbao.
Aldo Gatt
Reading, UK
|
