Float builders must leave Luqa premises

Carnival float builders using large stores in Luqa risk having nowhere to work once Lent starts because they have been told to vacate the premises once carnival is over.

The float builders started using the stores five years ago but Malta Industrial Parks (MIP), which manages the properties, was recently ordered by the court to clear them and hand them over to a firm that had been granted their use some years ago.

Eviction notices, signed by MIP chairman Alan Camilleri, were delivered to the float builders by the police yesterday.

Jason Busuttil, on behalf of the Għaqda Parteċipanti Karnival ta' Malta, said this was a major and unexpected blow.

"I do not know how we can recover from this one. By the time carnival is over, we have to vacate three premises - these stores, lower Fort St Elmo and the chapel near the Mediterranean Conference Centre. And we have nowhere to go," Mr Busuttil said.

"Over the years we have made various proposals to the authorities over alternative premises but nothing was ever accepted," Mr Busuttil said.

"We do not know what will happen. Many of us are simply thinking of giving up," said an exasperated and downcast Mr Busuttil.

In a statement last night, MIP said that in no instance had it ever allocated the site to the float builders nor had it done so with any other sites to any other float builders in the past. MIP, said it was informed that the float builders were granted permission for the temporary use of the site prior to 2008.