Qala local council said in a statement this morning that it had become unacceptable to the Council that all fireworks shipped to Gozo from Malta were still being unloaded at Hondoq ir-Rummien and then transported through streets of the village.

In November last year the Council expressed its concern that this had been the case and had called for an end to this practice, saying that the fireworks are often unloaded in the summer for the feasts on the island, at a time when the bay was full of people and then driven through the village.

The Council also said in the November statement that it had written to the Commission some two years before, after the Gharb explosion had occurred, but the authorities, up to that date had not acted upon it

The Qala Mayor, Clint Camilleri and the Council said today that it again appeals to the authorities concerned to “remedy this dangerous situation immediately, without any delay.”

The council said that it “insists that the fireworks should be unloaded in a port which is closest to the village where the fireworks are to by used.”

By doing this the Council said it will substantially reduce the amount of fireworks being transported through the village, as well as the danger of transporting them by road across the island.

“Whenever fireworks are to be unloaded at Hondoq, the authorities concerned should inform the Council, in order that it may be able to warn the village residents.”

The Mayor gave thanks to the the Deputy Mayor and Council, as well as the previous Council for their support and assistance on this issue.

Today’s appeal follows another appeal made by the council in September.

At the time, the deputy mayor had said that practically every week throughout the festa season, villagers had to watch helplessly as truckloads of fireworks rumbled through their streets.

“This is not a one-off situation but happens almost every week throughout most of summer. All Gozo’s fireworks are unloaded at Hondoq, the island’s eastern harbour, then transported on roads of varying quality to all the villages, including San Lawrenz at the opposite end of the island,” he said.

Mr Paul Buttigieg said fireworks should be unloaded at bays closer to their end destination, such as Dwejra for the Gharb feast, Qbajjar for the Zebbug feast, Mgarr ix-Xini for the Sannat feast and Xatt l-Ahmar for the Ghajnsielem feast.

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