10 pending applications for new fireworks factories, extensions

Mario Micallef

Feb 13th 2009, 10:25

@ all those who call this hobby one thing or another..its a shame you take advantage to get to your goal...mentioning tragedies...im 100% all our brothers who died doing this special hobby...didnt want to get such an accident...when people speak here they show a real sense of not knowing the topic...so its a waste of time trying to convince...God give eternal rest to those defunct...We all remember you dearly...be it from rival feasts and not...you all contributed to this Maltese speciality...which is recognised WORLDWIDE

Peter Aquilina

Feb 12th 2009, 23:34

Fireworks displayed in the Maltese Islands are nothing but extreme noise pollution !
A primitive "hobby" which should have been done away with !

Joseph Camilleri

Feb 12th 2009, 22:09

@ Rodrick Bajada

The only cowards are those who risk other people's lives and property, especially if they produce fireworks FAR from their families and near OTHER families. Suggest that these firework enthusiasts buy property near other families in the vicinity of their factory and go live there with their family.

Rodrick, what do you think, that one does not know what some of these firework enthusiasts do? Obviously very few risk, but when they risk, they risk a lot. No need to start telling the stories.

Paul Barrett

Feb 12th 2009, 19:27

Applications to alter the current factories to bring them 100% up to modern safety standards should be approved.

Extensions to factories must be viewed in relation to all the safety rules as above.

New factories must be sited at a safe distance from ALL public roads and ALL residences (including singe existing residences and not the current rule of 50 or 100 or whatever it is). They must be built to the highest standard with every safety measure installed and inspected on installation. If that is not possible then they should not be built.

Fireworks are indeed enjoyed by many people and it is a great skill that should not be lost. It is a pity however that so much of the effort and money goes into the "big bang" fireworks which causes so much discontent and could and should be banned on health grounds if nothing else.

Roderick Bajada

Feb 12th 2009, 17:23

@ Farrugia

Mr.Farrugia. The real cowards are those who, just because they do not have a reasonable response, insult others who have a different opinion.

As much coward are those who fire accusation towards others without having an itsy witsy tiny bit of any microscopic view on the subject.

@ All
know, the fireworks scene in Malta is not perfect and there is a lot to be done. Only that you are not helping. Neither is the government which uses Maltese fireworks only to boasts about this world unique trade to attract more tourists resulting in higher income. It is very easy to sit behind a computer and criticize. So much so that you dismissed all the MEPA applications above on the same level, when some of them clearly are working to update their factories for safer results.

Other things that are being said here against fireworks clearly do not deserve another second of typing.

Nigel Lawrence

Feb 12th 2009, 17:13

Extending (meaning larger) fireworks factories. Can't wait for the BIGGER bangs when they go up.

J Farrugia

Feb 12th 2009, 16:52

@ Jeffrey Galea - the dead are no cowards and do not mislead public opinion. When one sees the grave consequences this 'hobby' leaves behind, it's too tragic to talk about. But the results are there for all to see. except those who manufacture these fireworks. They bring in every bit of contradiction just to still their irresponsible conscience. still the end result remains the same. Innocent victims of these arrogant bullies. The same goes to Mr Bajada.

Karm Portelli

Feb 12th 2009, 16:44

No more permits should be issued for any firework factories in Malta and Gozo and Government should implement a project of housing them all either on the eastern side of Comino (away from the hotel) .

Jeffrey Galea

Feb 12th 2009, 15:53

When I read this news item and the comments underneath it my mind boogles. If my eyes are reading correctly these 10 groups of fireworks enthusiasts have all submitted development applications to MEPA as is requested by law. By doing so they are following precisely what is written in Maltese Law.

Yet those who have something against this hobby for some reason or another continue harping and writing emotional comments about tragedies associated with fireworks.

Instead of getting out of point and trying to mislead public opinion, such people would better congratulate these enthusiasts for conforming with the law and applying for a permit, and thus call a spade a spade and not the other way round!!!

It simply does not make sense to name fireworks tragedies, especially those associated with illegal practice such as the one of Naxxar when the news item is informing us about a perfecty legal practice.

And it is cowardice to use such emotional comments to try and attain the goals of a hidden personal agenda.

MGrech

Feb 12th 2009, 15:21

To all fireworks lovers like our friend here Mario Micallef. Actually your message is so poor that an answer is unnecessary, the answer is in your own text. Since when are fireworks and cars comparable? Fireworks (and for this argument a number of other hobbies) are beautiful only when viewed from a proper perspective. The issue here is that we are actually creating a monster hobby that this country cannot maintain any more. Unfortunately, cars are a necessary monster that we cannot do without. To be honest, I don’t care about fireworks accidents that kill only its hobbyists as it seems you are happy with that, so why should I/we bother.

Mario Micallef

Feb 12th 2009, 14:35

Shame on you all...to speak such crap about fireworks...its the usual stuff of people not knowing anything about this topic...fireworks factory create a sense of identity for the villages and is one of the only thing that put Malta on the map...respect these people who love their hobby and spend loads of hours working...whilst the same people who are here criticising are making a bbq on some roof and enjoying the scene...accidents are part and parcel of such a hobby..with this reasoning..shall we remove cars from the roads?!?! what nobody mentions is that everybody enjoys the shows in summer for free...whilst others pay for such shows overseas which compared to Maltese ones are amateurish...Unreal to criticise such a hobby...Put your hands off this hobby!!

Joseph Camilleri

Feb 12th 2009, 13:29

to know how manipulative fireworks factory people are read
http://www.adgozo.com/?news=2974&type=MEDIA

I suggest that all firework factories have to have an "UNTOUCHABLE" fund of EUR 200,000 to make up for damages they do to third parties when they blow up? It should be included in the permit. That amount is not very large, since they can increase the price of fireworks to make up for it. The only difference would be that fewer fireworks will be bought. Also, to get new permit firework factoriesmust have a buffer zone around the factory, not buy a field and apply for a factory, irrespective of neighbouring farmers.

E. Azzopardi

Feb 12th 2009, 13:20

I cannot believe this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this country still so backwards?????? The world is in very deep crisis which is going to last for some time (and we haven't seen the worst yet) and are totally concentrated to get out of it and here we cannot think of anything expect digging holes in front of churches, fireworks and other non important and non essential things. Only the very arrogant think that we are immune to this world crisis. At least , at least not now, guys.
Ara tlifna il-boxxla ta!!!!!!!

Charles J Zammit

Feb 12th 2009, 13:12

BIRZEBBUGA comes to the fore again , but in what aspect , another project that is not needed . A fireworks factory and if I am not mistaken it's from another village ,that is really rubbing salt into an open wound ,and as far as Birzebbuga is concerned it has more wounds than any other place . I know it's the Southern end of Malta , so putting it mildly it's the backside of Malta and what other people on the Island do not want on their doorstep they chuck down here and what do the Birzebbuga villagers get to compensate ? NOTHING .We have some of the worst roads in Malta , anarchy in the parking and traffic situation , vehicles parked literally on corners . Dirt everywhere ,noise ,light ,fumes pollution , from the power station , freeport ,and gas plant airport and now a fire works factory .I suggest the Govt .. relocate the people of Bizebbuga , flatten the place , leave a channel big enough for container ships to use the freeport and use the bay and fill it up with building waste rubble .Halluna gieh ma nafx xiex !! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH >

M Grech

Feb 12th 2009, 12:48

More fireworks factories!! Please let's scale down a bit. As the PM said and hopefully all those in trusted and responsible positions agree, Malta's density of fireworks factories is way too high.....I would add that probably its even the highest in the world. If only, one day, people here learn to respect one another, grow up by discipline ourselves to realise what constitutes a sensible limit in all that we do. This is an overcrowded country, such problems are bound to happen and it can only get worse. Certain people with big and out of all proportion hobbies have to learn how to co-exist and how to respect others by limiting themselves to what is reasonably acceptable and what is not. Their attitude and unreasonable expectations are creating more resistance and enemies for themselves. Yet their egoism prevails.

Charles J Zammit

Feb 12th 2009, 12:22

BIRZEBBUGA comes to the fore again , but in what aspect , another project that is not needed . A fireworks factory and if I am not mistaken it's from another village ,that is really rubbing salt into an open wound ,and as far as Birzebbuga is concerned it has more wounds than any other place . I know it's the Southern end of Malta , so putting it mildly it's the backside of Malta and what other people on the Island do not want on their doorstep they chuck down here and what do the Birzebbuga villagers get to compensate ? NOTHING .We have some of the worst roads in Malta , anarchy in the parking and traffic situation , vehicles parked literally on corners . Dirt everywhere ,noise ,light ,fumes pollution , from the power station , freeport ,and gas plant airport and now a fire works factory .I suggest the Govt .. relocate the people of Bizebbuga , flatten the place , leave a channel big enough for container ships to use the freeport and use the bay and fill it up with building waste rubble .Halluna gieh ma nafx xiex !! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH >

Roderick Bajada

Feb 12th 2009, 11:50

@ Farrugia.

Naxxar tragedy was due to illegal mal practices and condemed by any fireworks enthusiast.

Regarding the Luqa case. Please refrain from commenting on subjects of which you do not have the slightest idea about. Thank you.

daniel farrugia

Feb 12th 2009, 11:42

You should all know that many fireworks factories are old and need to be rebuild for safety reasons!!!! DO not be stupid and everytime fireworks are mentioned everybody starts to write comments which do not make sens, just because you do not like something! there are many feast entusiats and i think they have the right to work in a safe place and not to harm any innocent people if an accident occurs!

J Farrugia

Feb 12th 2009, 11:30

@ Bajada, where will you be when something the likes of Naxxar happens? Just to see your face lighting up with delight when seeing a 'fish fish bumm'. Or even where were you when some Luqa fireworks 'dilettanti' tried to stow away hundreds of bombs in a merchant vessel bound for Sicily? Which case is still in court. Precautions have to be taken, and those manufacturing fireworks illegally brought to justice. Or persons without a proper licence entering fireworks factory for their own enjoyment punished severely.

Mark Cassar

Feb 12th 2009, 11:14

@ Clayton Scerri, Joseph Agius and Edwin de Marco

probably you would be the first people out there to congratulate a fireworks factory when they win international awards!

Agius - recruiting village children - please grow a mind Mr Agius

3rd party damage in case of explosion - one thing is the manufacture of illegal fireworks which should be condemned and the culprits made to pay, and another is people building ODZ villas and farmhouses close to fireworks factories. If the factory was there, it shouldn't move because some bazuzlu bought a piece of land and wants to build a villa - the bazuzlu knew there was a fireworks factory beforehand.

Roderick Bajada

Feb 12th 2009, 11:01

Funny: "Dr Gonzi said permit applications were considering in the context of local plans, general policies and considerations of heath and safety, the safety of third parties, safety of nearby property, the environment and emergency access to the sites.

Malta, he pointed out, has a very high density of fireworks factories as a proportion of its territory."

Was this a stand up comedy? Pity I missed it!

So according to Dr.Gonzi, fireworks factories in Malta are over represented in our small territory. Yet, I can’t believe that he does not have the same idea on buildings in general.

This country is totaled / run / owned by the same few contractors, who unfortunately overpower the Government. Yet the country’s problem is 38 Fireworks Factories.

Unfortunately if some of the factories close, the same few contractors will gain large. I know first hand what I’m saying.

Once Dr.Gozni said that we must find a balance between environment and construction. If that is the case, then me must immediately demolish all ODZ buildings. Let ODZ be ODZ. Full Stop.

Clayton Scerri

Feb 12th 2009, 10:35

Not that I want any more fireworks, but any new permits should be given for deep underground bunkers. That way when these factories do blow up - and we all know they unfortunately will, sooner or later - there will be no danger or inconvinience to the public at large.

Joseph Camilleri

Feb 12th 2009, 10:23

To All who may read these comments

Are we mad to give more fireworks permits? ALL firework factories ALWAYS finish in one thing - TRAGEDIES. Then we cry, bring the village banda, make a big show attended by hundreds or thousands and then forget ... the lost ones will not come back, and the burdens on the families of lost ones remain.

To the authorities:
Do not forget that these firework producers need to get new members, which they usually do by "recruiting" village children, usually from the places they frequent. They create the usual village festa problems since they want the money to use for these fireworks.

Such people putting their lives and that of others at risk. Hope we do not forget the recent (year ago) Naxxar blast. Hope that no firework enthusiast is storing fireworks in / near habitable houses.

Moreover, I think that fireworks factories applications should be made public immediately on application and affixed to local council noticeboards for all to see - not trying to push through in the most steathly way possible, to avoid public knowing. They should be subject to a local referendum as well.

EDWIN DE MARCO

Feb 12th 2009, 10:17

Very good! I think this is what Karm Mifsud Bonnici promised right after the tragic Naxxar explosions! Put everything in order, indeed!