The National Folklore Commission, which organises carnival, has thanked float makers for highlighting, through their petitions, how close carnival will be to the referendum and local council elections.

This could lead to more cooperation from the authorities and political parties, the commission said.

A number of float makers had petitioned for carnival to be put off on the grounds that its closeness to the referendum could lead to vandalism and a dampening of spirit. But others signed a second petition appealing for carnival plans to be retained.

The commission within the Malta Council for Culture and Arts then decided that carnival would go ahead as planned, but end on Monday, March 3, instead of Tuesday, March 4. The referendum and elections are scheduled for March 8.

Commission secretary Anton Miceli yesterday said the petitions had served to raise awareness of the clash of dates, which no one seemed to have thought of prior to the controversy.

The commission's aim was for float makers to be united and work together, which was the case, despite the fact that two petitions - one in favour of changing the dates and another against - had been signed.

The fact that some of the signatories were the same on both petitions was not a cause for concern. Three or four persons had simply changed their minds, Mr Miceli said.

The majority of the signatories of the original petition were involved in triumphal floats, where only the floats competed. The second petition was signed primarily by those involved in dancing companies, with floats and costumes, and competed in the three sectors, Mr Miceli explained.

The costumes, which were ready, were designed to be worn in winter and would be too warm to be worn later on in the year when the weather improved.

Moreover, company members booked vacation leave to participate in carnival and could not change it, meaning that the costumes, which were made to measure, would have to be thrown away. The costumes cost money and float makers could not afford to throw them away, they said.

Some float makers said postponing carnival could also have resulted in damage to the floats. Even though they were stored, the rain and damp conditions could ruin them.

The grand finale is now being held on Monday, March 3 in St Anne's Street at 6 p.m., while carnival results are to be announced on Tuesday, instead of Wednesday, Mr Miceli said.

On Monday, dance competitions and a grand defilé are being held in Freedom Square at 3 p.m., with the participation of the German band Geslach-Gugga.

Security precautions were taken every year and this year would be no different. The commission was not envisaging any major changes. "We have grown used to elections and things have improved," he said.

The situation was considered to be "back to normal", float makers said. Around 90 per cent of Valletta's children were involved in the carnival preparations and the creation of floats, the high cost of which it was "better not to know", said one float maker.