I used to think that privatising a telecommunications company is one thing, but privatising health is another thing due to the sensitivity of the latter. However, seeing how things are advancing smoothly in the proposed “pharmacy of your choice” scheme and noticing how the second largest general union, UHM, is permitting the private sector to take over, I changed my mind. It’s not a problem if government pharmacists and pharmacy technicians may have to work longer or different hours; the most important thing is that none will lose their jobs. That’s how they are arguing!

So, now I say: everything can be possible in this country. Hence, in the near future, patients will no longer have to spend a lot of time queuing to pick up their medicines…

With such positive thinking in mind, may I therefore propose the following ? Can we have a “doctor of your choice” scheme as well? Imagine, you are a lower income bracket citizen going to your private doctor without paying a single euro!

Being jammed in traffic congestion every morning during the scholastic year, can be quite stressful especially if you have a palm reader or a slave-driver boss waiting for you! Can schools start at 9am or later? Working parents may not like this idea but will tend to like it in the afternoon!

If I ever have to go to the bank, it has to be on my only day off, which is Saturday. Can pensioners have their pension cheques by Wednesday?

I have chosen the above three scenarios because they are all related to waiting time periods. If Mary and Joe Bloggs used to complain that (only six times a year) they used to wait a “whole morning” (as they used to say), in order to pick up their bimonthly medicines, then they should all welcome my anti-waiting proposals.

C. Micallef

Fgura