Unexploded petards in school to be removed

Gozo authorities have given their assurance that pupils of Sannat primary school may walk into their classes safely on Monday morning as any debris or unexploded petards from the feast in neighbouring Munxar will have been cleared up.

Every year, small unexploded petards and debris from fireworks set off during the feast of St Paul in Munxar - which is taking place this weekend - end up in the grounds of the Sannat school.

The fireworks are let off from an unbuilt stretch between the two villages, which are within walking distance of each other. Unexploded petards and debris tend to fly onto the school and a public playground in Sannat, especially when the north west wind blows. Most debris falls close to the school's unit for children with disability.

Sannat mayor Carmel Camilleri - who has been telling the police and the education department that he would have none of it this year - told The Times yesterday he was given an assurance that the school would be cleared of any petards early on Monday morning.

"I have been informed officially that any unexploded petards on the school grounds and roof will be collected before the school opens on Monday. The police should make sure that the feast organisers actually collect the petards," Mr Camilleri said.

The mayor said the story had repeated itself for the past years but little had been done to ensure that the permit holders actually collected the debris.

Insisting that the children's safety came first, Mr Camilleri said he had seen a plastic bag with unexploded petards which the school handyman had collected two years ago.

The Sannat mayor said he had recently realised that part of the area from where the Munxar fireworks are set off falls within Sannat's territory. "This will have to stop from next year. They have other open spaces around the village and they can let off their fireworks from there," Mr Camilleri said.

Fireworks scheduled for 8 a.m. yesterday morning - exactly at the time the school gates open -were not let off.

When contacted yesterday, a Gozo Ministry spokesman said that a condition inherent in the permit issued by the police stated that "permit holders should collect any debris in the school, accompanied by the police. All petards or debris will be collected at 7 a.m. on Monday".

The spokesman said the Gozo Ministry was not aware that unexploded petards had been collected from the school grounds two years ago.

A spokesman for the Education Ministry said earlier this week that "the ministry is informed that the debris from petards that fall within school grounds does not constitute a danger to students" and that "the education authorities would ensure that children are safe at all times".