Għarb Council will be holding a referendum on December 8 to decide whether new fireworks factories should be allowed in the vicinity of the tiny village.

A factory explosion in Għarb on September 5 killed six people and sparked a debate over a permit request for another factory in the village’s countryside earlier this year.

However, Għarb mayor David Apap had said since the majority of councillors were also on the festivities committee and felt they had a conflict of interest, they opted for a referendum.

“Għarb is being used as a base for fireworks factories and this is unacceptable for the health and safety of our residents,” the council said.

The council said it appreciated that fireworks were an important element of Maltese culture, but society was paying a high price in human lives.

Yesterday’s statement stressed the need for frequent checks on existing factories and tighter control on production procedures, storage, the materials used and the qualifications of people producing fireworks.

The referendum will take place at the Għarb council offices between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and those who appear on the electoral register are eligible to vote.