The residents of my town must be the victims of the government’s ill-will – Rabat has been so badly neglected as far as, for instance, roads are concerned.

A major road, the Mtarfa bypass, which would relieve the main road to Rabat of its heavy traffic, has been in the making for years and is still not usable. Roadworks there picked up in tempo recently, but the road is still far from being opened to traffic.

Then there is the old road running parallel to the bypass. I am referring to the fairly narrow, somewhat winding road going on to the Roman Villa, and which at one point leads into Sta Rita Street and up to St Paul parish church. This is a heavily used road, but it is in such a state that all motorists who use it complain about it. It has a very roughly made surface, there are many large potholes, and it is usually a risk to drive along it.

At the end of it there is the wide road, which I think is called Workers’ Avenue, which leads from what must be the largest roundabout in Malta, on to Dingli Road.

And what a state it is in! Just months ago parts of it were resurfaced, but the parts which were not are in as bad a state as those which were.

Another road which was only partly done up is the main road leading from Attard to Rabat. Past Ta’ Qali on the way to Rabat the road was patched up only in parts.

A most atrocious stretch, leading up the final section of the hill to the Saqqajja, is still undone though it badly needs to be resurfaced.

Just what is the reason leading to this neglect? I wonder if it could be the government’s way of punishing the residents of the town for having returned a local council with a Labour majority.

C. GALEA

Rabat