Valletta council insists St Anne Street should not have been closed for NYE

jcamilleri

Jan 8th 2011, 19:48

Ghadhom sejrin biha lol !

J Brincat

Jan 8th 2011, 15:52

First and foremost this was an original idea by the Floriana council and so the Valletta council copied the idea.

As a solution each of the two local councils should organise these celebrations on alternate basis to avoid the confusion which reigned supreme and marred the event.

michael scicluna

Jan 8th 2011, 10:44

VLC should have joined in the original nye festivities rather than letting local football rivalry reign. you might have looked good in the eyes of citizens for trying to make their own in light of the fact that their neighbours had one........BUT YOU REMAIN A JOKE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY!

S.Debono

Jan 8th 2011, 08:02

MTV concerts and many other concerts have been held on the Granaries with many surrounding streets being closed from hours before. 40,000 have attended the area and i never remember such chaos especially with transport. Most embarrassing is, i recommended to many tourists to join the Valletta celebrations..... after spending 1.5 hours on the bus terminus with no bus in sight they decided to walk back to St Julians and on the way were even asked for 120 euros for a taxi for 2 persons to St julians!!!

carmelo pace

Jan 7th 2011, 14:15

FIRST OF ALL I LIKE TO THANK VALLETTA MAJOR FOR HOLDING THIS NYE CELEBRATIONS,secondly i just couldnt stop laughing at those who branded the event a flop,a flop when more than 40,000 attended and i heard many people say how much they enjoyed themselves, said they will be back next year,considering that it was a first,minor hitches did occor,but it has nothing to do with the organization,its the same old story PUBLIC TRANSPORT at its worsth level,but you can rest assured that come next end of year and a marked improvement there will be for sure,and to that person who said it was a FLOP,how come? did you leave your party to go evesdroping on valletta?ha ha ,i live in your locality and i didnt bother to take a look at what was going on.

Glen Hili

Jan 7th 2011, 12:00

Whoever is saying that no city should organize a NYE party just because Floriana was the first one to organize it is speaking nonsense. So no one should play football as the English were the first to play it. U Halluna! The Valletta Local Council together with the government decided to organize a NYE party in the capital just like all other capitals around the world. And I encourage them to do so again next year. THE EVENT WAS A SUCCESS (stop lying in saying that it wasn't). The only flop was the traffic jam AFTER the event. Yes! If only the Floriana Local Council had collaborated with the VLC, these problems would have not taken place. The VLC sought collaboration from the Floriana Local Council, but the latter refused. The event in Floriana could have been easily organized on the Granaries for example. So, stop putting the blame on the VLC. Well Done Mayor for the initiative.

G Falzon

Jan 7th 2011, 10:46

Pitiful!

Our smallness divides us rather than unites us!

P. Harvey

Jan 7th 2011, 09:54

In my opinion this event should be held in the Grand Harbour, and it should be similar to the one held in 2004 when Malta joined the EU (it doesn't has to be on the same scale in terms of budget). If I remember well transport was not a big problem when the event was over, and the quays were perfect to handle such a huge crowd.

Moreover, what's a NYE celebration without fireworks? Traditionally every major city in the world celebrate NYE with fireworks!!! The Grand Harbour, again, is a perfect location to hold fireworks without putting lives at risk.

Let's make NYE a national event on our calendar which evidently Maltese people really wish to have!!!

Paul Borg

Jan 6th 2011, 23:11

I think that on this event , having had excellent results on both sides , it is now a matter of making it even bigger. To start we will have a professional all night service by Arriva with no excuses. Secondly, I think that a centralised display of fireworks should be agreed so as to have a better , longer display ,with the cost shared by the two councils. I also hope that the stage in st Anne 's would be set up closer to the Lion fountain to accomodate more guests. If a good asphalt surface is given to the Waterfront road all the way to Lohombus, The buses would not have any problem entering and exiting via Crucifix Hill. Come on guys don't let me go on TV next Monday and call you children ( Brats )

Clive Camilleri

Jan 6th 2011, 22:41

myself and 3 others were making our way to the center when a horde of people started pushing and shouting at others to get through. My girlfriend was pushed to the floor, who luckily managed to get up. imagine this was a girl ? could we say the same would happen ?

bottom line.....
1 : Idea was great
2 : the atmosphere brilliant
3 : bars, food etc available to the early morning...great !
4 : confined space + thousands of people = never a good idea.

franco davies

Jan 6th 2011, 22:25

so petty, predictable and pitiful....

Antoine Attard

Jan 6th 2011, 22:05

40000 in Valletta is too much. Too crowded and dangerous if there is crowd trouble or rush. I strongly encourage towns like my beloved Hamrun, and Mosta and Paola, where there is a very wide street to organise something similar in future. A stage and some local talent is the main ingredient to make such an activity a success. A crowd for each activity of 10,000 is a sizeable crowd, not too large, more manageable where individuals can enjoy themselves more.

Marvic Psaila

Jan 6th 2011, 21:32

"Dr Dingli said they had approached Floriana council to collaborate but they refused." Well done for your sense of collaboration Dr Dingli.....you did your best......now go ahead with your plans for the next NYE and ignore the envious! This NYE's initiative was a great one....it was one big success. The city attracted a large crowd...much bigger than any other town or village did. Valletta is the capital city and it deserves to be the main focus for the NYE festivities just like all other cities in Europe! Will meet again in Valletta for the next NYE and for the so many more activities taking place during the year.
Happy New Year to ALL!

Josette Hili

Jan 6th 2011, 21:28

Are you serious Mr Dingli??? There were other alternatives and routes for the transport .Come on and let's not play the cat and mouse game. If thousands of people managed to get through to Valletta, why couldn't they leave the same way they entered? Well done Floriana Council and organisers, the NYE 2010 celebrations were a great success.

Myriam Vella

Jan 6th 2011, 21:20

Veru l-Kunsill tal-Belt ma jafx jisthi! Lanqas jikkuppjaw ma huma kapaci. Barra milli kienet organizzata ahjar, fil-Furjana kien hemm l-aħjar elementi fix-xena tad-divertiment lokali: John Bundy u l-Big Band Brothers.

Emanuel Farrugia

Jan 6th 2011, 21:09

Team work bejn il-Kunsilli fejn qeghda? Anzi l-Ministru responsabbli jiftahar hafna bil-'communication' u 'team work' bejn il-membri tal-Kunsilli Lokali. Dawn iz-zewg Kunsilli anzi, misshom ghamlu attivita flimkien u hekk kienu aktar jinghaqdu z-zewg lokalitajiet u mela hafna piki bejn il-lokalitajiet. Il-PIKI..............................

Emanuel Farrugia former Executive Secretary Mtarfa Local Council

ray bonello

Jan 6th 2011, 20:04

Jien mort kemm il-furjana u kemm il-belt. It=tnejn haqqhom prosit. Jien nissugeriix li sena ohra issir xi haga fuq skala nazzjonali bhaL pajjizi ohra u jinqatghu il-piki bla bzonn ghax wiehed jista jarma' l-fossos b' dawl sabih u kullhadd jifrah flimkien

Antoine Grima

Jan 6th 2011, 19:47

The Valletta Local Council should stick to its own confines. This press conference was uncalled for and I don't see the point why this issue has been brought up now; after all both were two successful events. There are better things which merit attention at this point in time.

Sandra Sammut Hili

Jan 6th 2011, 19:21

Valletta had the right to organise the event however they dont have the right to blame Floriana local council if the event didnt turn out to be a great one 

J.Camilleri

Jan 6th 2011, 18:50

NYE celebrations,next year, should be spread more over the country, say one at Valletta, one at Sliema, one at Marsascala and another at Bugibba or Mellieha.
Thus most problems mentioned will be eleminated and people will attend heartily.
As for funds, the gov. should hand his share together with the local councils and the private parties.
After all the gov.only handed about 10000 eros for the Valletta cebration, x 4 will only be 80000 euros which really is a very small sum for the gov.

mario dalli

Jan 6th 2011, 18:33

Gheziez Girien
Tinsewx li intom s subborg taghna...

dominic zammit

Jan 6th 2011, 18:28

Mr. Victor Rodenaslt


It seems that Floriana and Valletta are not close friends. (I am talking about football of course), just to remind you. I say we are more like Lions and mice. Naturally Valletta are the lions. End of story.

Clive Bonavia

Jan 6th 2011, 18:23

I'm sorry but all these comments because Floriana where the first to organise such an event are really childish!! In ALL OVER THE WORLD such celebrations are held in the Capital City of the country and not only but in the heart of the capital city. Therefore you like it or not Valletta is the Capital City of Malta and such events have to and will be organised in the heart of the city.
Quite frankly the Floriana local council does not miss an opportunity to make a lot of fuss and create hassles and problems!! Remeber the Welcome to Europe celebrations and the controversy created by the Floriana local council regardin the use of the King George IV gardens and its adjacent bastions!! Xi dwejjaq ta nies !!

Sandra Sammut Hili

Jan 6th 2011, 18:07

What's this fuss??? Have you forgotten that ST Ann Street is also closed on Carnival and the Malta Gran Prix.

Sorry to say but Valletta Council should have been original....who took the initiative on 31th Jan 2009?

Valletta should have never organised such event....they should have never tried to steal an event which was FIRST ORGANISED by the FLORIANA LOCAL COUNCIL

Elton Randich

Jan 6th 2011, 18:00

So I guess that according to the Valletta local council Floriana FC should`t be in Premier and the granaries should be part of Valletta.Next time someone needs to close a road for a feast,street party or mass meeting we will ask there opinion before applying for the police permits.The Floriana local council deserves to do it`s own activity.All year round all sort of activity is held there,causing noise, damage and parking problems for residents all over Floriana.Then every time these people want to organise something of there own they always have problems for the permits.St Anne Street is closed every year for Carnival for example,but the police oppose it`s closing for the village feast every year.Valletta local council should be ashamed of such comments.A serious institiution like a local Council of a capital city is expected to be much smarter then this.

george lewis

Jan 6th 2011, 18:00

Three years ago i wrote a letter in the Times of Malta praising government, for the annual new year"s eve celebration as organised in Malta Of course I was not serious about it as was well noticed by Mr.Nigel Holland who answered my letter as one "tongue in cheek" as it really was.

Mr.Holland had the courage to organize the first eve last year which was a success.At last those who could not afford exorbitant prices in hotels and restaurants,and families had a chance to celebrate.A feather in Mr.Holland"s hat,well done.!This was repeated this year which turned out to be a whooper.

Valletta decided to organise it" s own.A lot of people attended which proved that the public was thirsty for such events.Unfortunatdely only those who were in St.George"s square could enjoy the spectacle.There should have been other bands or entertainment in other key points
for everyone to enjoy.

Valletta council should not blame Floriana for closing St.Anne for the disastrous lack of transport after midnight which was chaotic and out of this world.We were caught there for over an hour and a half apart from the savage rush and pushing.

Next time try to do things better!

A.Schembri

Jan 6th 2011, 17:52

Daw bis serjeta jew?! jek iridu isolvu il problema li kellom ta trasport jaqbdu u ma jamlu xej u jmoru il furjana!

J Borg

Jan 6th 2011, 17:47

What pettiness! Event should be a joint one held on the granaries, long used as a national venue for holding celebrations. It can handle large crowds, with no traffic problems. Anyone who was at Valletta will tell you tha the place was too small and suffocating.

A. Borg

Jan 6th 2011, 17:39

Ma tisthux. Mhux bizejjed kuljum it-traffic li jghaddi ghal Belt irid jghaddi minn Sant'Anna.

Ganni Ellul

Jan 6th 2011, 17:26

Shame Valletta, you think you are over and above everyone else.You disorganised a NYE Party , you had the cheek to try to give the impression that it is a national party and it was a flop. from A TO Z so shut up and next time go to Floriana to enjoy yourselves.The Public transport flop was all thanks to the Transpot Malta disorganisation.I remember the Joe Cocker show in Marsa, The crowd there waS much bigger then yours and the busses cleared the whole lot in less then an hour.Admit it was a flop and next year learn from your mistakes, blame others and it would get worse.By the way how much did the prganising company get? and Who is the owner of the organising company? Maybe we wshould see the quotations you got for the organisation fees.

Stephen Koludrovic

Jan 6th 2011, 17:22

When oh when will the Valletta council stop talking rubbish.
If the so called 40,000 people managed to enter Valletta, then the same 40,000 could manage to leave the same way as they entered.

The only reason why people were stuck was because there were no busses, and not because St. Ann's street was closed.

Ity seems it still hasn't dawned to the Valletta council that there are another three ways to leave Valletta without going through St. Ann's street.
1. through Victoria gate and the waterfront.
2. Via the Police depot and down to San Masion
3. Via Cappuchin strret .
These are 3 routes that the Valletta football supports sometimes use before and after their football matches. End off !!

Joe Sammut

Jan 6th 2011, 17:21

Ma jisthux dawn il Beltin... Mhux imbilli Capitali ta Malta... INTKOM DEJJEM WARAJNA. Fil football, fil hajja, fl - ispettaklu fl - idejat.... Pruvajtu tikkupjaw lilna l - Furjanizi, u ghax ma tafux torgannizaw twehhlu fina..... U by the way, ikollkom cans, pruvaw ilhquna fil football ukoll!!!

Mark Ciantar

Jan 6th 2011, 17:20

VLC be professional. Do not try solving issues by creating others. The floriana activity was already on the way for the 2nd time when the valletta activity was announced. you should prevented chaos before hand not after the event.

Joseph C Gauci

Jan 6th 2011, 17:04

It appears that the Valletta Local Council is trying to find an excuse for its lack of organisational skill by blaming the closure of St Anne Street for the caos at City Gate. The arrangements made by the Floriana Council in conjunction with the p;olice for a smooth flow of traffic for that evening worked well and traffic moved smoothly along the pre arranged routes. The problem seems to have been created solely by public transport drivers. It is a pity that so many public transport officers were at City Gate loooking at each other not knowing what to do. It is there that the probl;em lies. Were the police involved in traffic arrangements at City Gate. This should be there job. They are the experts.

Joe Vella

Jan 6th 2011, 17:02

I would like to remind the Valletta Mayor that when there was the Valletta Grand Prix, or whatever it is called, no traffic could pass throught St Anne street, as it was turned into the bus terminus, for the whole 2 days. It's odd that 40,000 people could have made it to Valletta even though St Anee's Street was close to the traffic. So the problems encountered by those who were left stranded because the public buses didnt turn up is not because St Anee's street was closed to traffic. Dr Dingli don't put the blame on others to cover up your shortcomings.

J Farrugia

Jan 6th 2011, 16:26

Valletta Local Council - daqsxejn wahda wicckom tost biex tissuggerixxu dal-hmerijiet. Il-KL tal-Furjana kien l-ewwel li wettaq in-NYE party u issa intom qed tikkupjaw attivita' nazzjonali li kienet success minn kull lat. L-inkompetenza taghkom maghduda mal-bsaten fir-roti tas-sidien tat-taparsi trasport pubbliku m'ghandhiex tkun skuza biex tippruvaw tiehdu rikba rhisa minn fuq dahar il-furjana. Trid tkun veru wiccek u wicc l-ghatba tal-qorti l-istess biex tohorgu b'wahda bhal din.

Albert Farrugia

Jan 6th 2011, 16:24

Why not organise the whole thing around Grand Harbour like the night of Malta's Accession in 2004? One could have different "focal points", thus encouraging people to spread around, and also organise a big fireworks display and of course put it on TV. With some thought, and given the dramatic backdrop of Malta's Grand Harbour, our NYE could become one of the most known in Europe. The massive attendance at Valletta on NYE is proof that the Maltese love these festivities and they will gladly participate.
And the traffic chaos afterwards could have been foreseen. Remembering the 2004 festivities again, i clearly remember how smooth everything flowed afterwards. Maybe, on second thoughts, it was a mistake to actively urge people to use the buses. As it is to date, the public bus service in Malta just cannot cope if demand rises. Let's hope for Arriva.

victor rodenas

Jan 6th 2011, 16:24

It seems that Floriana and Valletta are not close friends.(I am talking about football of course.)