Carnival rules... but it’s not OK

Children in colourful costumes danced and paraded near Valletta’s Triton Fountain as the carnival activities continued yesterday, amid transport chaos in the capital.

Organisers and enthusiasts were relieved to see the sun shining in the morning without any disruptions to the second day of carnival in Valletta.

Thousands of grown-ups and children were caked in make-up and dressed in costumes of their favourite fictional characters. Many enthusiasts danced on board the carnival floats blaring a cacophony of beats, which are associated more with rave parties than carnivals.

Since this year many carnival activities are taking place outside City Gate, it was decided to temporarily relocate the bus terminus to the park-and-ride site in Blata l-Bajda, causing a major inconvenience for shoppers and commuters.

Valletta and the surrounding roads were clogged as motorists and bus drivers faced a series of diversions and road works.

On Friday night, dozens of commuters, especially tourists, appeared completely lost trying to find the right route buses in the dark at the temporary terminus next to the park-and-ride site in Blata l-Bajda.

Commuters heading for Valletta are being dropped off next to the Independence monument, in Sarria Road, Floriana, while people in Valletta who want to travel to another locality are being picked up and dropped off at the temporary terminus to catch the required route bus.

On Friday, a number of street hawkers who set up their stalls in Valletta every carnival filed a judicial protest claiming breach of their human rights after the Valletta council informed them they would not be able to mount their stalls this year.

One of the hawkers yesterday said the operators had been instructed to set up in the car park near the Floriana football ground between yesterday and tomorrow. However, when they went there they found that it was full of vehicles.

The Floriana council said the open air market will not be opening today.

Today, events will continue with the much anticipated grand carnival parade in St Anne’s Street where King Carnival and other triumphal floats will glide through the main road accompanied by grotesque masks and marching bands.

The parade will start at 12.30 p.m. and last until 8 p.m. with the grand carnival spectacle taking place between 2 and 5.30 p.m. near the Triton Fountain, since Freedom Square is closed for works on the City Gate project.

The carnival band parade, to be held in St George’s Square, will take place at 2.30 p.m.

The events continue tomorrow and Tuesday when the grand finale will take place between 5.30 and 10 p.m. in St Anne Street, Floriana.

St Anne Street will be closed today between 1 and 10 p.m. and on Tuesday between 3 and 11 p.m. Motorists may enter Valletta through the Valletta Waterfront.

Today and Tuesday special arrangements will be made between 6 and 11 p.m. when minivans will transport passengers between Blata L-Bajda and Sarria Road.