Carnival float-builders hold protest

Anna Marie Navarro

Feb 15th 2010, 15:33

The efforts of these people ought to be recognised. I am convinced that apart from the work involved they also go through a lot of expenses. Since Carnival is always featured with prominence in Malta's calender of events these people deserve a proper, sheltered working space. It's a pity that floats are destroyed on the last day of carnival, ample space should be provided to that at least the winning ones would be exhibited. A carnival village should be set up so that tourists and Maltese alike would also be able to witness the work and passion this old tradition involves, whilst admiring and appreciating floats of past carnivals they can see craftmen preparing for forthcoming carnivals. This has been long overdue.

R Gatt

Feb 15th 2010, 14:45

@ Roderick Micallef - since you are an expert and know why they don't want to be at Ta' Qali, why not explain to us instead of just insinuating paroli, paroli paroli. I personally do not like carnival, but if these individuals have the neccessity to be in Luqa and not Ta' Qali, then I would understand their point. Nowhere did I read or hear the reasons why not Ta' Qali. The distances are the same to Valletta, so that's no excuse. I just hope that wherever they are, they keep the place in order and clean as from my experience in Mtarfa, the one who was building floats there left a huge mess every year. Let's just all work for a satisfactory solution instead of shooting down each other's comments. One thing's for sure, in this country everybody wants everything done by the government whether blue or red. In other countries it's very different my friends. Lets grow up and be independent from daddy government (our taxes). If you think that just because I do not like carnival my life is boring, then I pity you my friend.

N. Borg

Feb 15th 2010, 13:24

So what? if next year's Carnival is different from this year? Does the Carnival contribute to Malta's economy? No it further strengthen's one's belief that people demand and expect things from the government for free.

And if people were clapping at their protest it does not signify that Malta is behind them either.

Roderick Micallef

Feb 15th 2010, 13:00

I am amazed at all the carnival experts we have in Malta, most here are in agreement ta Ta' Qali is not far away from Valletta and that the float builders are only finding an excuse to do a controversy. But I ask myself how did these people come to these conclusions? Where they ever involved in building a float? With words every one can say anything, paroli u paroli ghandna kemm trid f'dal pajjiz.
These people have a right to protest because the same government that is throwing them out had promised that the same location in Valletta would be transformed into a carnival village but now everything has changed and not only no carnival villages exist but the same government wants these people to be relocated to Ta' Qali.
Most bloggers here admit they don't even like the local Carnival celebrations so I just can't understand how can they come to conclusions and take decisions on something they don't even appreciate!
I have always considered the Maltese nation as mostly moaners and groaners but it seems it's getting worst by the minute, for me it's easy, if you don't like carnival stay home and enjoy your boring life!

R Gatt

Feb 15th 2010, 12:02

@ Adrian Cachia et al - The distances from Luqa to Valletta and from Ta' Qali to Valletta are more or less the same. So why are they so adamant on being at Luqa.

J Theuma

Feb 15th 2010, 10:31

@ Mr Owen Vella

there are to tunnels from Ta Qali to Valletta.

and to others- it's not far away. In Malta nowhere is far away. In Ta Qali they can have bigger and new huts. So this is just another excuse.

Chris Grillo

Feb 14th 2010, 12:00

My personal opinion....

'Dan l-ahhar karnival?' ... nghaddu minghajru wkoll!!!!

Garishly coloured floats (designed without sense of proportion!) and the same old people year in year out...

Be constructive, and the people might make a move...as it is it's hardly worth bothering about...

You COULD and SHOULD have accepted Ta Qali! At 15mph during the late evening, you would have made each trip in less than an hour...jien iktar kont nara x'naghmel u nirranga z-zmien!!! Malta kesha ta l-imgienen, tfal bl-ezamijiet....zmien hazin dan..

However 'ghix u halli lil min jghix' is ok by me,since it makes no difference... I don't like our carnival at all...I have other hobbies...but to people loving this hobby, RESPECT.

G Falzon

Feb 14th 2010, 11:07

I reiterate : I am mystified when I read and hear fishermen, farmers, breeders, bus drivers, port workers and several others requesting subsidies and diverse assistance and protection from Government and the EU. Now carnival-float builders too!!! Who subsidises and assists the rest of the country's workforce in their difficulties, namely grocers, shop keepers, pharmacies, plumbers, furniture makers, etc. etc. Why does not the Government subside and protect me when I need to go to a doctor or refurbish my house/shop, for example? Can somebody enlighten me in this enigma that mystifies me?

Charmaine Marmara'

Feb 14th 2010, 09:46

@antoine vella... how can you say that ...if you dont like it just stay at home and release us from your comments ....as maltese i want a traditional carnival and if i want to see a venitian one i travel ..but maltese carnival is enjoyable by thousands and people like you spoit it .

N.Lawrence

Feb 14th 2010, 09:02

If the float builders have been offered space at Ta'Qali, why not hold the carnival at Ta'Qali?

Once Gonzi has built HIS talking shop on Freedom Square, there will be no room in Valletta, any more, for the "carni" anyway.

Ritianne Farrugia

Feb 14th 2010, 00:29

One thing I would like to say to all of you who said that with carnival floats or without, it will be the same. You speak like this because you have nothing that you are passionate of! I can speak because I have friends whi take part into carnival andthis is their life. Like my friends who used to hunt as part of their hobby but now can't do it anymore or like me, as a feast enthusiast.

You have to have something in your heart to understand their concern that maybe this will be the last carnival for them, and just because our carnival does not attract millions of tourists, we maltese should have something to do not only going to work to pay taxes!!!!

Mario De Bono

Feb 13th 2010, 23:44

Tasteless, Uselss, boooring excuse for a carnival. Nothing means anything in it. No satire. Just inept rubbish in many colours, with the worst of Valletta competing against each other in who is the best out of the mediocrity that we have today.Carnival is best consigned to the rubbish heap, because lets face it, its rubbsih.

Marton Saliba

Feb 13th 2010, 19:10

This won't be the last Carnival, we don't need their floats anyway...
It' won't be the same without float but won't be worse.

Alfred Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 18:34

Jeremy J. Camilleri. Kindly do not put words in my mouth . I never mentioned lists of protesters, let alone long ones. Franco Farrugia. It depends on what you mean by the truth. What may be true to you, may not necessarily be so to me.

Joseph A.Borda

Feb 13th 2010, 17:35

For sure this will not be the Last Carnival......Now we have Hon. Demarco who is leading the Culture and for sure he will find the solution together with all Carnival Lovers.....,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Adrian Borg Cardona

Feb 13th 2010, 16:05

Antoine Vella: have you no shame in denegrating a Maltese tradition? Would you be happier if we had a 'venetian' style carnival? It seems some people always see Italian traditions as being more Maltese! SHAME! At this rate, Malta is going to end up like any other town in Italy, with no particular identity -once again, SHAME!

Paul Borg

Feb 13th 2010, 15:52

Some of the comments made regarding this article make me wonder if the Maltese are losing that enthusiasm that has reigned for so many years. While some people like to play with stamps and only amuse themselves, others have a fiery need to display and entertain the public, local and evenmore tourists. It's good to have quality in art, but carnival is all about grottesque. In Italy it's all about public figures' satire ( illegal in Malta ). For those who never leave the few square feet of their living room, carnival is not for you, it is for the vast majority of normal families with children. Being from Valletta , it hurts to see confrontation on such a small issue .
Last week, the fishermen of Marsamxett lost all their tackle boxes to a bulldozer from MEPA . But I guess for the hobbyless , it's just a bunch of men moaning. Paul Borg from Mandragg.

Franco Farrugia

Feb 13th 2010, 15:46

@ Alfred Camilleri: For saying the truth? Since when does the truth mean 'politicising'? Who has been asking repeatedly for a tiny headquarters somewhere on the island where to build the floats, and this for a great number of years?!

James Spiteri

Feb 13th 2010, 15:29

There is something not being mentioned .... what will happen to the parades once the new Parliament is built ??

Jeremy J Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 15:28

J Scerri...actually, I didn't attend that protest, and I dont really give a hoot where floats are built.

However, it seems that every protest is labelled as partisan so as to diminish its significance...

As for you last comment..I guess I might be to blame for all those mentioned who have shown disagreement with all the broken promises and mismanagement this Government has committed....WHilst I do understand that this might hurt you, one cannot deny the truth....

Regarding more importants things, I agree...but even important things are getting ignored....

Alfred Camilleri..you said it..the long list of protestors....

Owen Vella

Feb 13th 2010, 15:15

@Joseph E Briffa

I think you forgot to calculate all the obsticles in the journey,for an example - electricity cables, tunnels ect !!!!!

Claire Busuttil

Feb 13th 2010, 15:12

Carnival is part of our traditions, BUT the carnival float builders, are wrong, by wanting to stay at Fort St.Elmo..... (that is a historical place ....not a workshop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
If they love carnival, they should accept the Ta Qali place. Do not be ridiculous saying it is faraway from Valletta...!!

Antoine Vella

Feb 13th 2010, 15:08

I hope the float-builders give up and go away; this will clear the way for a new generation of real craftsmen, Hopefully we will have carnival with a few small but high quality artistic floats instead of the gigantic amateurish monstrosities we have tolerated for too long.

I like carnival but Maltese floats are badly-made, badly-modelled and boring. So, no, government should not allocate any space and should, in fact, encourage the present float-builders to retire.

J. Scerri

Feb 13th 2010, 14:46

I think Malta & so the Government has more important issues to tackle than the Carnival right now. If for example, our carnival was like the one at Rio De Janeiro which attracts MILLIONS of tourists from around the World & so generates enough income to subside all others city's expenses during the year , it will be fair enough to call it a big PROBLEM. But as long as OUR scenario is very diffrent from that, I think this should be considered a minor issue. I doubt very much, if at least in one certain year the government ever covered all the funds he allocate for this event & made profit. The argument here is that they were given (luckily enough for them) a place where can practise their hobby, (others never had this previlige). Or maybe they pretended the Granades of Floriana to perform their work, to be closest to Valletta !!!

@ Jeremy J Camilleri : I don't think that this morning's protest was political, but you turn into as one with the excuse to reply to others, to gave it that image. Very Clever but Very obvious too. Better luck next time !!!

Joseph E Briffa

Feb 13th 2010, 14:38

@Adrian Cachia...the distance between Ta' Qali and Valetta is about 6 miles as the crow flies, while that from Luqa to Valetta is about 4 miles. So there is only a couple of miles difference which would mean some 8 minutes @ 15 mph. Surely this is insignificant! @I Galea....that I do not know.

Alfred Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 14:27

Jeremy J. Camilleri, A. Spiteri, Franco Farrugia. If the carnival float-builders have not politicised the issue, you all certainly have.

Karen Love

Feb 13th 2010, 14:23

At least, in this day and age, in Malta, you can protest and voice your opinion about anything. Thank god for that.
For the Rio enthusiasts, if they won't build another float so be it. It won't be the last carnival cause somebody else will.

lgalea

Feb 13th 2010, 14:16

Alfred Camilleri, alred gatt
So now everyone who is protesting is politicizing the issue is it? Typical pn apologists arrogance.

Joseph E Briffa Why aren't they given an empty factory from the many there are in Marsa/Luqa etc area?

Alfred Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 13:29

I believe Carnival float-builders want to appear cool and join the trend of protestors, just for the sake of creating controversy. Apparently they were happy with the stores they had near Luqa, but are refusing alternative premises at Ta' Qali because, they claim, it is too far away.
Sure, Ta' Qali, 200 km away from Valletta is too far away. Please, don't make us laugh. Anyway, if you want this to be your last carnival in Malta, so be it. After all we won't be missing much. We have already seen the emasculation of the Nadur Carnival last year, through the inept action of the Bishop of Gozo and the Police.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 13:29

Alred Gatt? Politicise? so every protest or comment criticising the Government is politicised?

So you think all the carnival float builders are staunch Labourites?

I guess so are Nationalist Mp's Jesmond Mugliette, Franco Debono, Philip Mifsud, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Ex PN Minister Michael Falzon,Ngo's Din L-art helwa and the Ramblers Association, Coloumnist Marisa Micallef, the MEPA auditor, the GWU, MUT, Forum tal Unions, the Employers Association, Saviour Balzan and the list goes on......

Actually, it is people like you who cannot grasp reality and in attempting to deviate from the reality of the situation in Malta, are quick to politicise everything!!!!

Grazio Vella

Feb 13th 2010, 13:29

Let us hope that 'next year's Carnival would be very different from the current one'.

Although I appreciate the work involved in the construction of floats and elaborate costumes, it is quite apparent to everyone that there is a severe lack of creativity in Malta's carnival.

Year after year we get the same style of floats, involving fish, birds, pirates, cowboys and indians, etc with the same style of figures as the one in the photo, accompanied by a group of 'maskerati' dressed in animal headwear and large shoulder pads. Not to say anything about the loud, low quality songs, involving stupid chants like the ones used by football supporters.

It really needs to be different.

Adrian Cachia

Feb 13th 2010, 13:20

@Alfred Gatt - Politicised Why?

@Joseph E Briffa - Get out a map of the island (if you have one), pinpoint Luqa and pinpoint Ta Qali and imagine yourself driving one of the carnival floats at 15mph from each point to Valletta. Then post again.

And all this coming from one who is not a carnival enthusiast at all!

ASpiteri

Feb 13th 2010, 13:18

There are literally tens of abandoned factories around the area of Marsa and they are more than suitable for the float-builders. However, the government is more keen in keeping these property to some rich guys to store their yachts, whilst of course threaten the whole existence of carnival!

Of course the liberals who blog around here are enthusiastic to see another tradition ruined!

Franco Farrugia

Feb 13th 2010, 13:17

1. I was never a Carnival enthusiast but hey, Carnival is part of the island's culture and traditions.
2. @ Alfred Gatt: I cannot see any way how the Carnival enthusiasts have 'politicised' the issue and if there is any shame to be thrown anywhere, it is certainly on the Government that has been leading them a dance for a very long time.
3. @ Adrian Camilleri: Deo Graciasss? Emm... in what way is Carnival harming you personally? Can you expound, please?

Owen Vella

Feb 13th 2010, 13:14

@Alfred Gatt

Can you tell me why now its politicised??????

R. Caruana

Feb 13th 2010, 13:03

"Dan l-ahhar Karnival?"

If so, here's one who doesn't care. Had to cancel a birthday lunch for my daughter in a Valletta outlet tomorrow as entrance through Castille is closed for most of the day.

Joseph E Briffa

Feb 13th 2010, 12:41

The carnival float-builders have not accepted facilities offered at Ta' Qali as they say it's too far away. Far away from where? Ta' Qali is in the centre of the island and quite close to the Luqa stores they have been asked to vacate. Malta is so tiny that nowhere is far away. If the area assigned to them at Ta' Qali is adequate for their needs, why don't they be practical and go for it?.

Adrian Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 12:17

Surely, it won't be the end of the world if the Carnival won't be the same!!!

Deo graciassss

alred gatt

Feb 13th 2010, 12:16

These carnival enthusiasts must be mad to believe that the hundreds who were in freedom square and applauded their protest are synonymous with what the people o malta think. sorry to say that they have now politicised carnival by their protest. shame on them.