I would like to rebut certain unfounded allegations and unproven insinuations flung at the Floriana local council by Joseph Muscat in the article The Floriana Street Party (January 14) who, with tongue-in-cheek and in a not-so-veiled attempt at denigration, called the council "almighty".

First of all , as a councillor in the locality , I hereby confirm that I had respectfully (verbally) spoken to officers at the Valletta police station months before the event about which permits the council would need, only to be told that (since it was too early), discussions between all authorities and entities concerned would be held at the appropriate time (as is normal practice and as in fact happened).

When the time came, I personally delivered a Floriana local council letter (reference number KLF 220/09 dated November 5, 2009) to a senior officer at the Valletta police station (and also sent a copy of this same letter by post) in full respect of the law, informing them that the council needed to close St Anne Street for a national public activity which was scheduled to begin on Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 6.30 p.m. and which would end on Friday, January 1, 2010 at 2 a.m.

One wonders why, therefore, for the correspondent there was nothing wrong when St Anne Street was closed to motorists and to bus drivers for a whole week, with all hastily issued police permits in order, when NNG Promotions organised an Elton John concert (even though this was held on the Granaries and not in St Anne Street) but he objected when the Floriana council asked for a "no-objection" in full conformity with rules and regulations.

He also failed to mention the most important fact that a number of obstacles against the activity began to spring up apparently out of nowhere only at the last minute.

Was this a desperate attempt to discourage the council from going ahead with the activity according to plan?

The council, contrary to what was stated by the correspondent, did not break any law and there was no "case of arrogance" involved.

Finally, one would have expected the correspondent to check all the facts before foolishly rushing into print and, in order to yet again contradict him, one can conclude by saying that, in spite of all premeditated spokes in the wheels, the event was a huge success and this was indeed a bitter blow to those (few) who wanted the activity to fail.