Pyrotechnics - an art or big business?

The current season of festas and fireworks is in full swing and there seems to be much (usually) good humoured argument on the subject. Although there would appear to be a fairly strong contingent of supporters for "banning the petards" there would also be a groundswell of opinion among the ardent festa supporters in the villages in favour of maintaining this gratuitous assailment of the senses, very much in the spirit of maintaining age old traditions.

It made for interesting information to be told recently that the reason behind the recent closure of main roads adjacent to a village celebrating its festa is simply down to a matter of insurance! It seems that it is a legal requirement in the granting of insurance cover to the licensed operators of exploding petards that the launching place must be situated no less than 200 metres from inhabited places.

Insurance agencies have learnt to their cost that it is not just inhabitants who are at risk from stray or misdirected petards. Five years ago, an unfortunate accident occurred when the festa at Msida was in full swing. In accordance with legal and insurance procedures, the roads were duly closed in the proximity of exploding petards.

Nonetheless, in typical Maltese fashion, a stray car managed to evade detection and drive onto the main thoroughfare. A firework misfired, landed on the road underneath the car and duly exploded, fortunately, without injuring any of the occupants of the car.

The vehicle in question was not quite so fortunate and was declared a total loss. This incident obviously alarmed all insurance agencies and, accordingly, it is now very often a condition of the granting of insurance cover to licensed fireworks operators that any roads likely to be in the proximity of less than 200 metres from the launching spot have to be closed to the public and traffic alike!

The Police and insurance agencies work hand in hand in the issue of insurance cover to those wishing to take part in the fireworks launching operation. An insurance agency normally issues a Certificate of Insurance Cover which is given to the Police who then issue the permit allowing the firework operator(s) to proceed with their firework display.

The agency can stipulate certain conditions, like: to comply with all Police regulations relating to the manufacture, transportation, launching and firing of these fireworks; and to agree to accept additional preventive measures as indicated by the insurance agency.

For example, it could well be a condition for the granting of the insurance that a fire engine be on site in case the firing site is surrounded by open fields bearing combustible matter, such as straw, hay or similar; alternatively, the insurer may feel that a "Plastic Greenhouse" is too close to the firing site for comfort. In this case the operator may have two choices: either bear a larger cost of the excess; or else pay a higher premium. In extreme cases, insurance cover for a particular firing site may be denied!

The history behind the strong Maltese tradition of petard bombardments at festas is complex and there seem to be many strands involved in the background to the insistence by the petard supporters that the traditional way of celebrating the festa must continue, at all costs.

Malta boasts a number of fireworks factories, which are licensed and owned by various individuals. These are established businesses that are handed down from fathers to sons and, consequently, strengthen the feeling of family tradition.

In turn, the villagers feel a sense of pride in upholding the same spirit of competition that is fostered by the various band clubs who actually organise the fundraising so important to promote a successful fireworks display.

The problem is that it would appear that the age-old traditions are very much entrenched in the culture of the Maltese nation and it will prove very difficult indeed to try to change what is effectively almost a basic right in the eyes of the village supporters of petard bombardment.

Equally, the very large percentage of those inhabitants of the Maltese Islands who find the petard bombardment anathema to the enjoyment of their peaceful early mornings (the habit of the petard bombarders to sound their first blast at 8 a.m. on Sunday mornings being a case in point) and to their peaceful evenings by the side of their pool would welcome a cessation of petard bombardment.

It would appear that an impasse has been reached and it would be a brave Member of Parliament who would risk his constituents' displeasure to institute any kind of parliamentary disbar of petard bombardment on the grounds of noise pollution as well as bad press for potential tourists.

Malta would do well to sell itself as a European subtropical paradise with less of a Middle East and pagan celebration of its rather quaint festas.

So, what is the way forward? Who will be brave enough to encourage the cessation of petard bombardments and institute legal proceedings to bring about the end of these unattractive, discordant and seemingly mindless bangs? Let the bravest speak out and let justice be done and be seen to be done!