I was quite elated when Minister Austin Gatt declared substantial changes to the transport mechanisms that control our public transport. I was particularly struck by the electronic system for controlling taxi abuse, which is an incentive for more people to use the taxi service with peace of mind. I hope that these measures will be just the start of things to come to make our transport system user-friendlier. An electronic system on every bus stage, which informs when the next bus is due even if the calculation is only an approximation, would be highly welcome. In Japan, they have a system that works to the second. I do not expect this but I am sure that something should be put in place that alerts me at least to the transport available within the next few minutes.

This is to give credit where it is due. However, there is another matter that caught my attention and which also falls under Minister Gatt’s jurisdiction. It was reported, if it is true, that he dismissed the choice for the commissioning of diesel turbines over gas turbines by stating that the carbon particulate effluent from the use of this technology is “only dust” (TMIS, 24 May). The problem is that this ‘dust’ is a very dangerous type that is responsible for the morbidity and mortality of a high proportion of the Maltese people suffering from bronchial asthma. This condition affects a high proportion of the people – some say to the extent of between 20 and 25 per cent.

It is thought that one of the reasons for this condition is the inhalation of particulate matter. There are two particular sizes of particulate matter found in suspension in air. Particles below 10 microns are known to cause asthma when inhaled and work directly on the bronchi. Smaller particles of the size under 2.5 microns are even worse since they are absorbed through the lung lining into the blood stream. Being absorbed into the bloodstream, they can then travel to several organs causing more damage.

The south part of the country suffers more than the northern part due to the effect of the prevailing winds at the Marsa power station. By the same token, the prevailing winds blow the effluent from the Delimara power station out to sea. Of course one must not forget that it is the effect of car exhaust that constitutes the major problem in this area.

I am sure that this information is not going to change Cabinet’s decision once it seems to have been already taken, but it would be appreciated if it were shown that these matters of national health had been properly evaluated when the decision itself was being considered. Just dismissing it as “simply dust” does not lead one to reach this conclusion.

Dr Michael Asciak MD

BIRKIRKARA