It has happened again, just as most people predicted it would. Two people lost their lives in a fireworks factory explosion, one aged 46 in the prime of his life, the other aged 20, with his life just beginning.

The Malta National Ground Fireworks Festival, which will take place on April 27, might be postponed for another year because of their deaths but they will never ever be seen carrying out works in the factory for the festival's preparation. They are dead.

This is definitely not the first time we have heard of such deaths and, unless something is done today rather than tomorrow, we will keep on hearing of them. They are deaths which happen because of a hobby and a hobby which is even more dangerous than laying with a pack of poisonous tarantulas.

Some time ago, when deaths such as these took place, I remember reading somewhere that the authorities were planning a way that would produce fireworks in safe conditions and would be subjected to regular inspections from people who have the know-how but it seems to me that this has not happened yet. We Maltese are good with words but when it comes to action it is a different story altogether.

If there is no hope of inspecting all this fireworks manufacturing, then why shouldn't fireworks be abolished from this country altogether? It's no use harping on the argument they are part of our Maltese culture, not when lives are being lost along the way.

In the past 10 years about 12 people have died in fireworks explosions.

How many deaths are we going to witness before someone gets the urge to do something? Let February 22, 2010 be the very last time we heard of two deaths in a fireworks explosion!