Lija’s feast may end up without its renowned fireworks display after the St Michael’s fireworks society fell out with the principal licence holder, The Times has learnt.

According to the society, fireworks will only be let off on the feast day proper in a heavily scaled-back programme, but even this much could be in jeopardy because of the situation.

Lija residents were informed of the predicament on Sunday when the society distributed a leaflet to all households outlining the problem.

The feud has dragged on for almost a year and in March the society’s committee approved a vote of no confidence in the licensee, Emmanuel Farrugia, asking him to hand over the responsibility of the factory to society president Brian Spiteri. Mr Farrugia has been the licensee for 39 years.

Every fireworks factory has to have a licensee who is legally responsible for the factory and the production process. His signature is needed to procure explosive material for fireworks but the situation in Lija means this signature has remained elusive this year, sources said.

There is some material already available on site which is being used to prepare fireworks for the August feast but the society is not in a position to broker new material.

As licensee, Mr Farrugia’s assent is also required for the police to issue permits so the fireworks can be let off.

The leaflet alleges that Mr Farrugia has been asked to transfer his licence and, unless he does so, the feast risks having no fireworks at all. In March the society submitted an application with the authorities to have another licensee recognised but this got caught up in bureaucracy.

When contacted yesterday, St Michael’s society secretary Joseph Mangion said the organisation had nothing to add to what had been printed in the leaflet.

“At the moment we have nothing else to say because we are waiting for developments in the coming days,” he said, without specifying what the developments could be.

Mr Farrugia too refused to give his side of the story when questioned by The Times. “I am not giving you my version because the leaflet is full of lies and I am talking to my lawyer about it. I am not talking to you,” he said, hanging up.

The feast of the Transfiguration of Christ the Saviour is celebrated on August 6.