Msida feast enthusiasts have obtained their long-coveted permit to let off fireworks from Swatar – which entails closing two arterial roads – but they will not be using it this year after two of their pyrotechnicians were hurt.

The police had stopped issuing the permit in 2008 when the management at Mater Dei Hospital, which opened its doors that year, complained that closing the Santa Venera bypass and Regional Road would hinder ambulances.However, the new police administration has had a change in policy and issued a permit.

As it happens, this year it will not be used, according to Paul Sghendo, head of the Msida Pyrotechnics Society, who said the club decided it would only have ground fireworks (ġigġifogu) as a sign of respect for two pyrotechnicians from the locality who were hurt in a blast last month.

In the accident at the Żebbuġ fireworks factory, Raymond Sultana, 55, of Ta’ Xbiex, suffered life-threatening injuries and Charlton Mifsud, 33, got away with slight injuries.

Mr Sghendo confirmed the permit had been issued “following talks with Transport Malta, the police and even Mater Dei”.

If the road needs to be closed, it will be closed

He said the club had agreed to limit its display to two, one-hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday and to keep in contact with Mater Dei to halt the fireworks if an ambulance needed to go through one of the closed roads.

He became palpably irritated when it was put to him that the closure also inconvenienced a great number of motorists.

“I cannot understand all this fuss about our activity,” he said. “Roads are closed for horse races, marathons and whatnot but when we ask for a road to be closed we have Times of Malta calling for comments. If the road needs to be closed, it will be closed.”

The issue has been a sore one for the seaside locality, because there are few other suitable launching locations.

In 2008 they had been allowed to launch their fireworks from a barge near Hay Wharf, just under the bastions in Floriana, but this created a security risk due to the proximity to the yacht marina.

On top of that, the Armed Forces of Malta objected in view of their Maritime Squadron base in the area and the barge idea was ditched too.

Enthusiasts told Times of Malta they had been lobbying various ministers for years to have fireworks again.

“This time we spoke to (Home Affairs Minister) Manuel Mallia... he’s a man of his word,” an enthusiast said.

Questions sent to the police remained unanswered at the time of going to print.

mmicallef@timesofmalta.com