I am not the first person – and probably will not be the last – to complain about wardens’ selectiveness. I have witnessed this in various localities – such as the main thoroughfare in St Paul’s Bay, where drivers stop haphazardly to hop into a shop or two to buy something and hop out again. It is still evident in the centre of Hamrun, despite the availability of two parking areas – one public and the other private.

It is also still happening on the streets not far from a large tourist establishment in Paceville, where I have noticed more than once that cars parked on a zebra crossing or on the pavement during the day, are not receiving a ticket – perhaps because they are smart cars or similar? Sta Venera also has its quirks, with fines imposed courtesy of a high-mounted CCTV camera near a discount business, but no tickets are issued in one particular street not far from the border with Qormi.

But this game has also its recruits from among the police ranks, especially in the area outside the St James Counterguard right up to and including Castile Square. Perhaps Transport Malta can also pitch in by replacing some of the illegible ‘limited parking’ signs along selected stretches, occasioning the issue of more tickets by those new to and unfamiliar with the area (when not lounging, smoking or turning their backs on vehicles parked on zebra crossings or next to traffic islands) and at times ignoring vehicles, not official ones, three abreast in front of Castile’s main entrance a little after noon on weekdays, creating constant traffic obstructions.

J. Bonett Balzan

BALLUTA