Travel & Tourism
Civilians continue to express disgust at transport situation
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 17, 2008 - 10:20:20 AM

A new petition circulating via email is currently calling for a  boycott of all public transport services "until they learn to respect this country and it's citizens."

The email says “How long are we going to have to tolerate the rudeness and arrogance of the
Public Transport operators? We ride in filthy buses... Our children are dropped and picked up from school at exagerated distances from home because the drivers are too lazy to drive around our villages to drop them off closer to home... when we need a Taxi the tariffs they are charging us are exagerated. We are forced to ride in the junk they are providing and in filthy conditions, and now they are telling us that they want to keep doing it for ever, and when they die, they want to leave in their wills for there children and children's children to keep doing it even longer. This is not
to mention the way they constantly treat the tourists, that are so important
to our economy.
 
We can stop this. We can say no to this arrogance.”

Then it continues to urge a boycott of public transport “until they learn to respect this country and it's citizens. Let us support the goverment in this battle. This is not a political issue but an issue in the best interest of the people of this country. Pass this on to as many people as you can, so that as many
Maltese and foreigners as possible can support each other in this issue.”

On Wednesday, FATTA, the Federated Association of Travel and Tourism Agents, filed a judicial protest against the Federation of Public Transport on Wednesday morning after 32 coaches transporting more than 900 cruise liner tourists on a full-day excursion cancelled their appointment.

In the judicial protest, FATTA declared that the strike is of no use and is damaging the tourism industry and causing financial loss to travel agents.

It also calls for the Federation of Public Transport to respect the principles of competition in a liberalized market, saying that monopolies and cartels are detrimental to the market.

Meanwhile, a Facebook group called Malta Transport reform Action Group has attracted over 1000 members. The action group said that while everyone has the right to strike, it is not right that the Malta’s capital has been cut off from the rest of the country.“ If the federation closes St Anne Street or any other road again,” said the action group, “the authorities should tow all the taxis parked in the middle of the street and fine their owners.”