Residents are working with the Qala deputy mayor to ensure the Gozitan village is no longer used as a passageway for truckloads of fireworks for feasts.

Practically every week throughout the festa season, concerned villagers had to watch helplessly as truckloads of fireworks for neighbouring feasts rumbled through their streets.

They cannot understand why Ħondoq ir-Rummien bay is the only point to offload these fireworks, which are manufactured in Maltese factories and then transported to the sister island by boat.

Residents registered their concern with the council, which is now seeking legal advice to ensure truckloads of potentially dangerous fireworks stop passing through their village.

Qala deputy mayor Paul Buttigieg said villages around Gozo should use different bays to offload the fireworks.

This would be “spreading the danger” and result in fewer transportation hazards.

He explained how on several occasions he had witnessed a police car escorting truckloads of fireworks for feasts through the streets of Qala, including the village core.

“This is not a one-off situation but happens almost every week throughout most of summer. All Gozo’s fireworks are unloaded at Ħondoq, the island’s eastern harbour, then transported on roads of varying quality to all the villages, including San Lawrenz at the opposite end of the island,” he said when contacted.

Mr Buttigieg said fireworks should be unloaded at bays closer to their end destination, such as Dwejra for the Għarb feast, Qbajjar for the Żebbug feast, Mġarr ix-Xini for the Sannat feast and Xatt l-Aħmar for the Għajnsielem feast.

“I urge the authorities concerned to take action before, Heaven forbid, an accident happens,” Mr Buttigieg said.

He quoted from a government-commissioned report on fireworks that referred to their transportation to Gozo.

One of the authors of this report, Servolo Delicata, said that the transportation had to take place early in the morning to avoid the blazing sun and that trucks must be properly covered. He suggested more police presence and supervision and recommended fireworks be transported in stages.

Another Qala resident, Leo Attard, recently witnessed the unloading of fireworks during a morning swim.

“It was 9am and there were already a few dozen people and a number of parked cars.

“Suddenly, I saw a boat mooring, trucks parking and a police officer marching up and down.

“There were swimmers metres away, a kiosk fewer than 10 metres distant, and a kiosk with umbrellas for hire just centimetres away,” he said.

“What are the authorities waiting for? Another tragedy in which everybody starts denying responsibility? ”

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