Comments on: The duck that lays the golden duck

By: Corinne Vella

Corinne Vella — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:22:13 +0000

I think you misunderstood my comment. I said ‘many’ not ‘the majority’ cut corners, which explains your customer care = 0.

And I said ‘many decide not to come back’ not ‘tourism would come to an end’ or ‘decide not to come’, both of which have an entirely different meaning altogether.

By: Karl Flores

Karl Flores — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:04:42 +0000

Dear Corinne,
I agreed with what you said all the time except for your mentioning of ‘many’. It is not the case. I am sure that the majority of ‘catering establishments’ don’t cut corners. Read my comments. Like you said, I mentioned, that tourists were constantly being ripped off, that the treatment being given was shabby and, also, that as you said ‘tourism would come to an end’. (you said, ‘Decide not to come’). I should have mentioned, also, that customer care = 0.
Once more,
Always yours,
Karl

By: Tim Ripard

Tim Ripard — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:13:17 +0000

Was busy with other things…

As far as I recall, John Schembri is indeed on the right track. VAT from Gozo amounts to about 2% of the total, though the population is roughly 10% of the total (and is the main benefactor of internal tourism). Everyone likes to cheat. It’s just that Gozitans seem to be more successful at it than the Maltese.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:46:41 +0000

In reply to A attard. Siehbi ,m'ghadnix immur nixtri minn Ghawdex. Fuq kollox, l-Ghawdxin jigu jixtru l-gbejniet min-Nigret iz-Zurrieq. Denominazzione di origine controllata, my foot.

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:16:03 +0000

In reply to A attard. Tihux hsieb...it's just that I cannot resist replying to asinine comments, and I am in no way saying that we should not pull our act together in Gozo.

By: Corinne Vella

Corinne Vella — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:59:39 +0000

In reply to Corinne Vella.

No, Karl. It is not ‘what I believe’. Value for money is not just about how much you get on your plate. Shoddy or indifferent service and poor quality food ingredients are visible to customers, not hidden in the back room.

What prompted all this was a complaint about ‘tourists being ripped…’ You and I live here, so we know the difference. Unsuspecting tourists don’t, which is why they are ripped off. That, too, is cutting corners. Why not set a higher standard price, backed up by higher standards?

You are right in saying ‘once bitten, twice shy’. Isn’t that why so many people decide not to come here again, or bypass Malta altogether when planning where to go?

By: A attard

A attard — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:13:36 +0000

In reply to Frank.

U isa, Frank… tehodiex daqshekk di pettu….. hallihom ha jghidu…jidhol minn wahda, johrog mill-ohra, bla ma jaghmel ebda hsara….

By: Unexpected Traveller

Unexpected Traveller — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:02:29 +0000

Maybe the ducks clone one another? Or maybe it’s because there are mentions of clucking fients?

By: Karl Flores

Karl Flores — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:18:10 +0000

In reply to Corinne Vella.

Dear Corinne – Yes, it’s only a fool who cuts the corners to turn a profit. You have to wait until you turn the corner to make that profit. Cutting corners is not the attitude of many so-called ‘catering businesses’. That is what you believe. That is why we are against monopolies. aren’t we?. That is why you now have ‘freedom of choice’, isn’t it? And that is why, ‘once bitten, twice shy’. no?
Always yours,
Karl

By: taxpayer

taxpayer — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:50:24 +0000

Friday morning, City Gate: about eight taxis bringing in tourists. One taxi driver shouters to the other drivers: “Don’t charge them less than 40 euros”. If that is not daylight robbery for a four-minute drive I don’t know what it is.