Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1002137
OPINION 21 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 JULY 2018 AS we descend into the torrid- ness of the Maltese summer, the World Cup is a welcome distraction and reprieve from the otherwise unbearable sum- mer. This time round we also had a blessing in disguise since, with the Italians out of the competition, we do not have to suffer a noisy carcade every two days. Those who have to work in summer will understand what I am talking about, while anyone fortunate enough to have a three-month break or the luxury of taking a long holiday will fail to appreciate. Before we take off for these seven weeks of heat, sweat and dust, let me bother you with the sixteen most press- ing reflections on my mind at present. School holidays are far too long Why should school holidays start off at the end of June and continue until the third week or last week of September? And why should children be given 'study days' and asked to stay home unsupervised in June? Summer hours too early Government departments and some agencies work half days as from June 15. Consecutive governments have failed to address this problem for fear of votes. Why should government workers have half-days? Littering Littering is still a major prob- lem and most people do not really care if they leave their waste on the beach or in the countryside. Money talks and perhaps we need to bring some extreme Singaporean enforce- ment into action. Sex industry A recent US report describes Malta's sex industry and dependence on young foreign women. Clamping on illegal brothels treating women as sex slaves has nothing to do with not being liberal. Regulating noise Fireworks and especially the use of petards and uncontrolled noise at untimely hours are a problem that is still highly unregulated and goes on with little or no respect to residents. Waste at sea The dumping of waste by boats, sailing and power yachts in bays and next to the shore- line goes on unabated. There are few services available for emptying bilge and holding tanks in bays. Safety at sea As if it is not enough to have fast cars driven by mad young- sters, the sea coast has its un- fair share of jet skis. Some bays should ban jet skis outright since it is next to impossible to control errant jet ski drivers. Parking meters We badly need parking meters in city centres and this hang up that a parking meter is equivalent to a tax is grossly incorrect. We also need to protect our historical centres and create more green spaces within towns and city centres. Reducing car licences If we want more people to get off the road and use public transport or taxis, why not introduce a scheme whereby those who renounce their car licence are given a cash gift of €2,000 and cannot apply for a licence until another four years. If 20,000 persons avail themselves of this scheme it would cost €40 million but the return would be priceless. Car-free areas Can we start thinking of car free areas in the countryside, especially on a Sunday? Just imagine if the roads around Mtaħleb were car free: children could ride, joggers could jog and walkers walk without hav- ing to worry about the traffic and the occasional horse rider chance a ride. Access to shoreline The need to reinforce the requirement that all shorelines and passages in the country- side are open to the public. A principle that exists in so many western countries. Working in Malta The basic requirement that foreign workers who are handed a working permit, attend a day course to know something about Malta and the Maltese language. And those in the service industry should be given more than a basic course to learn a few phrases in Maltese and something about Maltese culture. Appreciating Malta's history A compulsory secondary school book on Maltese history for all schools, covering over five thousand years of archae- ology and Maltese history until today. And perhaps an appre- ciation of who our icons really are, whether it is an architect, a linguist, a sportsperson, a ben- efactor, a scientist, a performer, a judge, a doctor, a politician or a soldier. Saving the media Private and government sub- vention to urgently revive and save the media industry and help it survive from the social media onslaught to enable it to provide a truly inquisitive but truthful service in the long and bumpy road of a middle-aged democracy. Foreign workers Before arguing over whether one should save migrants at sea or integrate them in Maltese society, can we at least agree on the number of foreign workers that we can take as a nation? Surely with the dramatic need of skilled and unskilled labour- ers this number cannot be small. Full-time parliamentarians Just make parliamentarians full-time and cut the crap. You are either a parliamentarian or something else, you cannot be both. Malta did not reinvent the wheel. Reimburse them ad- equately and do not pay them peanuts. Saviour Balzan Fireworks and especially the use of petards and uncontrolled noise at untimely hours are a problem that is still highly unregulated and goes on with little or no respect to residents @saviourbalzan Anyone interested in my hit-list?