All the promises by the government that a secure purpose-built location would be provided for the building of carnival floats has not come to fruition, to no one's surprise. When are we, as a nation, going to recognise the efforts and skills that go into building such masterpieces?

I can remember the time of the old "Knights Hall", with its leaking roofs and dampness during the late 1950s to mid-1960s, when as a young lad I used to help my late uncle Antoine Camilleri with the making of mascaruni, the small floats. It was always a wink and a prayer to find somewhere to construct the exhibits.

Historically, our carnival dates back to the Knights of St John so surely it is an integral part of our culture.

I am just amazed at the dedication of these float builders, some of whose families go back generations with their ties to our beloved carnival. The time has come to take the authorities to task. As a protest, all those involved should pull out of the carnival. The ministries of culture and tourism must act now and make it priority to provide proper premises, rather than allowing all the hampering that is going on.

On the face of it, I wonder if anyone in authority is that bothered about all those who delicate their life for our entertainment.