The editorial with the above heading was quite thought provoking (TMIS, 5 December), so I decided to put pen to paper and share my thoughts.

If (a BIG IF) the above were introduced, why should we run the risk of having our civil liberties diminished? What has “martial law” got to do with testing drivers for excessive alcohol level in their system?

In your article, you stated: “We strongly object to the concept of the police being empowered to stop any motorist they please to administer a breathalyser test or to be searched for drugs”. Who are “we” in your objection?

It is rather silly of the writer to use Burma as a comparison; in Burma people are imprisoned and shot for wanting freedom of speech and expression. Random breathalyser tests neither kill nor injure people… on the contrary, they save lives!

Do we object to having security cameras installed in quite a number of places all over the island? Aren’t these cameras diminishing our civil liberties?

Do we take umbrage at being frisked prior to boarding a plane or passing through a body scanner (which is being put into action in certain countries at the moment)?

Your writer stated that “ the fine for driving under the influence has been more than doubled from the previous €465.87 to €1,200.00”. Under current legislation, how would a driver under the influence be found to be under the influence of alcohol?

Maybe after he smashes his vehicle into a wall or worse still into some poor victim driving his/her car “not under the influence”?!

So, don’t you think it is worth “diminishing civil liberties” (your words not mine) and catching the drunk driver before he kills or maims an innocent person?

I would like to state the following:

If I plan to mug someone or rob a bank I would answer with a resounding YES, I object to security cameras!

If I plan to carry a bomb or a gun aboard an airplane … I would answer with a resounding YES, I object to a full body scanner stripping me down to my birthday suit!

If I plan to drive a vehicle drunk as a skunk with the chance of killing myself, my passengers or some unsuspecting pedestrian or another driver… I would say with a resounding YES, I object to random breathalyser tests!

As you so rightly stated “even one such death or injury is one too many”… so I say with a resounding YES… Bring on random breathalyser tests as soon as possible!

Charles Sammut

NAXXAR