Rising cost of village feasts

Richard Stagno Navarra, Lija

As summer approaches, more and more envelopes find their way into my letter box.

These include circulars sent by the various committees organising the annual feast in the village. I am told that this happens practically in all towns and villages.

These circulars ask for donations, specifying not less than €5. It may be for the manufacture of fireworks, the organisation of band marches, the provision of new festoons and so on.

In one particular circular we were told that more money than usual was needed as the cost of materials has gone up.

So far so good. However, what these good people, who by the way are all volunteers, cannot understand is that the cost of living has increased for every family with staple items such as food, medicines, electricity surcharge and even fuel biting hard into a family's budget.

I am also sure that every parish priest knows that there are an ever increasing number of families who have fallen below the poverty line.

It would, therefore, be far better to help these people than to spend thousands of euros on increased activities.

The traditional village feast must go on but with a reduced number of fireworks, fewer band marches and less money spent on new festoons, statues and the like.

These organisers, who work ever so hard on a voluntary basis, must also understand that the uncontrolled amount of fireworks at some feasts, besides causing noise pollution, are also of harm to the sick, children and the elderly as well as animals.

Something must be done about this to create a far better atmosphere in the village during the week-long celebrations to honour the local saint.

Comments

Frederick Williams (on 7/5/08)

I fully agree with Mr. Casha, money should be spent on items that will be enjoyed for much longer time than gone with a bang. One such example are the feasts celebrated in Valletta during summer were the larger part of the budget goes for decorating our baroque capital city.

Anthony Borg (on 6/5/08)

Many years ago, the village fiesta used to last one weekend. Now it has been stretched to two full weeks. nothing to do with the fiesta as far as I am concerned but a good opportunity for business,
Let the ones selling hot dogs and all the fast food and drink kiosks pay for the extra cost. After all they are the ones benefiting. All we are left with is the noise and rubbish.

Ramon Casha (on 6/5/08)

If they spend less on fireworks there will be more left over for the enjoyable bits. Consider that fireworks, apart from being very expensive, are only used once. Bang! There goes so many hundred euro in a few seconds of ugliness. That money would have been better spent on decorating the village, cleaning it, lighting it up and so on - all things that will be enjoyed for a long time.