Ħamrun feast without barricades is bliss

In Hamrun we have just had a fantastic feast in honour of our patron saint, St Cajetan, attended by thousands of people, thanks to all those involved in its organisation. For the second year running the police did not need to put up the usual barricades in High Street to keep supporters of the two band clubs apart.

The hearsay, the minor incidents, mostly family-related which had nothing to do with the feast, and sensationalist, negative coverage by a section of the media, had created an atmosphere of tension around the feast of St Cajetan.

Every year, as the feast approached, we in Ħamrun lived in a state of anxiety, but then nothing happened and the feast would pass by without incident.

But the police, as was their duty, used to take precautions and during the week of the feast would put up barricades to separate rival supporters at the end of each band march.

However, Ħamrun has managed to overcome this tension and this year, like last year, the police did not use barriers and the supporters of both band clubs were free to move wherever they wished and indeed mingled with each other.

Here it is apt to mention the excellent work done by the police. It would be good if a bus were parked at a strategic point so that the police on duty at the feast could take it in turn to rest. There should also be a mobile canteen serving snacks and drinks officers on duty.

It was good to see that the week-long festivities, including the church functions, were so well patronised and to see supporters of the feast enjoying themselves so much, sporting their band clubs’ colours, with the band club premises themselves so beautifully decorated for the occasion.

This success is of course due to the work done by the presidents, committees and youth commissions of both the St Cajetan and St Joseph Band Clubs, the two groups who put up the street decorations and to those who together with the parish priest, Fr Henry Balzan, were involved in the organisation of the feast.

It is a pity that save for one television station, this success was not reported in the media, as used to happen when even a petty incident used to be sensationally blown up.