Carnival float-builders insist Ta'Qali alternative is unsuitable
Carnival float-builders said today that a site offered to them at Ta'Qali was inadequate and too distant from Valletta.
The float builders are seeking a place where they can build their floats after Malta Industrial Parks ordered their eviction from stores at Luqa once next month's carnival is over. They have also been evicted from Lower Fort St Elmo and a former chapel in Valletta.
MIP said yesterday that the stores currently being used by the float-builders were needed for investment purposes.
It also pointed out it had offered to incorporate the float-builders within the Ta' Qali crafts village but they refused.
Jason Busuttil, spokesman for the Ghaqda Partecipanti Karnival ta' Malta, said they had been offered an old concrete factory which was inadequate and would need to be demolished.
Furthermore, he stressed, Ta' Qali was too far from Valletta, where the floats are displayed.
"It would be impossible to take the floats from Ta'Qali to Valletta, we are seeking a place between Valletta and Marsa," he said.
He insisted again that the former Soldini factory at Marsa, which he said, had been vacant for 10 years, was ideal for the purpose.
"It is the only government-owned property between Valletta and Marsa which will meet our purposes," he said.
MIP said yesterday that industrial property, such as the former Soldini factory, could only be allocated for industrial projects as detailed in the Business Promotion Act. Moreover, the location and size of the factory made it a prime strategic site which was being reserved for potential high value-added investments.
Mr Busuttil said the failure to solve this long-running issue was putting serious doubts about the participation of float builders in next year's carnival.
In a statement later, the Ghaqda Partecipanti Karnival ta' Malta expressed regret that Culture Minister Dolores Cristina was not giving importance to this issue, which could threaten the future of the 500-year-old Carnival. The association said that when the enthusiasts were told to evict Lower Fort St Elmo, they were promised alternative accommodation, but this had so far not been forthcoming.
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H. Camilleri
Jan 28th 2010, 13:37
@Joseph A Borg,
sorry but it seems that i'm missing something or... it seems that you don't have the least idea of how a carnival float is built/costructed.
"disassembled, transported by road and re-assembled", please tell me you're joking!!
Joseph A Borg
Jan 27th 2010, 23:20
@ L Tabone: excuse my ignorance — but why not? When govt will end up putting in the money to moving national arts centre, crafts village, a proper national library to rehabilitate Grand Harbour, opposite Waterfront, then space could be made available for float construction.
An interim solution is to build floats somewhere with barge access and float them to valletta..
or the floats would need to be disassembled, transported by road and re-assembled in Valletta.
Extra hassle could bring in extra cash from govt.
Stephen Borg Cardona
Jan 27th 2010, 21:34
Why not just give them 60 million Euro like the Bus Drivers ?
David Hill
Jan 27th 2010, 19:41
Go for Ta'Qali,
Don't you realise that Valletta will soon be a no go for carnival.
Wwhen they rebuild the Opera House and do all the other building work there and provide a new City Gate which the floats wont pass through what is Carnival going to do?
Go for Ta'Qali, have carnival prade to Rabat, I'm sure they would be only to happy to host Carnival.
Also the workshops would be an added tourist attraction, many of us would be happy pay to see how the floats are built.
It might be the kick needed to get the Craft Village moved into the 21st centuary., and a new and revitalised Carnival become a grand attraction to bring visitors back to Malta.
roderick vella
Jan 27th 2010, 19:25
The goverment should invest in these participants who have such a wonderful talent. It's a shame if an adequate place is not found for these float builders, who despite the financial problems and low budgets, with so many sacrifices they manage to build these fantastic original floats.
Normaly in February tourism is not at it's peak and this is a great opportunity to promote this unique event which for me it is the best compared with other carnivals in europe.
Chris Finch
Jan 27th 2010, 19:15
Just one question, are the float builders currently paying for the premises they are occupying? Will they be paying for the site offered to them at Ta Qali? If not then they should be happy to be offered this site.
If they want the Soldini factory, are they prepared to pay the current market rate for it or do they want this for nothing?
Beggars can't be choosers. There are too many special interest groups in this country holding the government to ransom over their demands.
Roderick Micallef
Jan 27th 2010, 18:35
To all float builders, costume artists & Designers, dancers, organizers and carnival enthusiasts. We should all come together and protest, we are talking about a 500 year old tradition which is being TOTALLY ignored by the people that are supposed to lead Malta and are supposed to be professionals.
Basta nghajjtu bil-Brand Malta, all the heritage and folklore is being destroyed just because we have a government that has only one interest and that is to strip Malta from it's identity. All the national assets have been privatized and sold to the public.
The truth is that our deficit is at it's highest, and that includes the national debt so not only we have lost all our assets but financially we are in ruins, on this issue, the government can't even seem to find a decent place for the carnival participants to continue their work and the only solution is Ta' Qali, is it because freedom square will eventually be closed with a roof if Malta goes on with Renzo Piano's project for the square? What is the future of the carnival of Malta? Will it possibly not to be held in Valletta any more in the future?
Roderick Cutajar
Jan 27th 2010, 18:16
I agree completely with C Busuttil. Ms Cristina is just not the right person for the job and anyway Malta's culture should be given more importance than currently and should not be given to a minister who is also entrusted with other things like education.
C.Busuttil
Jan 27th 2010, 17:53
The greatest mistake is that culture falls under Dolores Cristina. With all due respect she might be very competent in other sectors but in this she fails miserably. All NGO's involved in arts and culture complain about having no support from the minister. Not that its her fault she's simply a fish out of the water.
L Tabone
Jan 27th 2010, 16:34
@ Joseph A Borg
Are you suggesting that these huge floats are loaded one by one onto a barge, and taken to Valletta.
Joseph A Borg
Jan 27th 2010, 15:53
a desperate alternative would be any warehouse around the island close to shore and the floats taken by barge?