By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai

It is amusing to see some workers pasting loads and loads of posters ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” sometime of a tuition class, sometime of a cinema over other posters for the whole length of a wall/parapet wall ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on main roads. Shows the mentality of our nation! On one hand it shows the mentalityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that it does not matter who is already there, whose poster get pasted over, let me have my say, my advertisement at any cost.

On the other hand, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-saying it once is not enough ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” let me say it thousands of times for it to sink into the thick skulls of our paradisiansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚! Same as the irritating TV advertisements repeated umpteen tiems you are ready to vomit the next time you hear it. So the same poster goes for yards and yards ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – albeit in small letters which no motorist will ever read.

NowƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who decides whose poster stays and whose gets pasted over? I wonder whether any payment is due for these free space advertisement? If not how come the one pasted over keeps quite- or do they come the next day and paste over?

It will be much nicer if those who want to advertise their product make large posters with minimum lettering so that it will be beneficial for all ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” easy on the eye and easy to remember. And it will be pertinent to ask who gets preference ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” or for these whether there is a payment due to the government or the owner of the wall.

It will be a good idea to rent out these walls for specific times for all to benefit ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the advertiser and the onlooker, not forgetting the owner of the wall. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And hopefully some sense will prevail on the beauty of the city when it comes to stipulations of the posters. Instead of them being eyesores as they are today, let it be a beautyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as well as a source of information.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai