On the evening of Friday, 13 May, no buses were running along the St Julian’s-Sliema promenade due to a noisy feast – with lots of drum-beating – at Spinola Bay. People at the bus stops along this busy route waited in vain for buses that never showed up.

This is an outdated practice that has no place in Malta’s congested traffic. Public transport along Malta’s busiest route should not be disrupted for the sake of religious functions commemorating legendary ‘saints’ or events that allegedly took place 2,000 years ago. This was not the only occasion when there was such a disruption along the Sliema promenade.

On the so-called feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the traffic along the promenade was also disrupted, and cars and buses had to make detours in the dark through Sliema’s narrow side-streets – to the annoyance and irritation of those who were caught in the traffic jam. 

The confusion was compounded with noise from loudspeakers in the streets which broadcast inane sermons about the long-deceased ‘sorrowing’ mother.

It is time for the Labour government to abolish religious functions that hinder the flow of traffic. We are no longer living in the days when Malta’s streets were devoid of traffic, apart from a few cabs and horses. Public transport and the flow of traffic should take precedence over the public display of religious mummeries!

 

John Guillaumier

 

St Julian’s