Except for the fact that the Bank of Valletta’s temporary ATM set up at the Valletta Waterfront did not want to deliver the first euro notes to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, the programme of events that took place across Malta and Gozo to mark the introduction of the new currency went ahead smoothly.

The inclement weather that characterised the last days of 2007 did not make things easy for the organisers, so much so that by Sunday some of the events had already been moved to other locations, while the rest were relocated to indoor venues just eight hours before they were due to start.

However, in spite of the time constraints and the cold and rainy weather that persisted throughout the last night of the year, the Maltese people once again responded with enthusiasm and thrill to the activities that were held, particularly in Valletta but also in Victoria.

If that ATM had worked, then it would have been a perfect night. But life is not perfect, isn’t it?

With hindsight, it would have been better to have Dr Gonzi withdraw the first euro notes from the permanent ATM in the same area, the one he eventually used. It would have saved the hassle… and the embarrassment too, as the PM tried more than once, to withdraw cash from a machine that simply would not function.

With regard to the concerts and other events that were held on the night, it all showed that the Maltese people are thirsty for such activities and that they should be held more often.

We all know about the success that events such as Notte Bianca and Notte Magica had in the past, and what happened last Monday night was another indication that the Maltese will flock to places where there is entertainment – especially if it is free of charge.

All over the major cities abroad, public activities in the most popular squares are held to mark the start of a New Year. They are attended by thousands of people, sometimes braving the cold and the rain. Yet, this is somewhat missing in Malta, except for special occasions, such as when the new millennium started, and last Monday to mark the changeover from the lira to the euro.

The success of 31 December 1999 events should have triggered similar festivities – catering for all walks of life. But they did not. What is hoped is that the success of last Monday’s events – and, we repeat, in spite of the inclement weather – should push organisers to come up with similar ideas for New Year’s Eves to come.

Similarly, the television stations should team up – as they did last Monday – to broadcast such events. There have been several years in which local television stations disappointed their viewers with pre-recorded programmes, with their “artificial” countdown, or else simply screened a telefilm or a film.

People who were constrained to stay at home on Monday evening, or did so out of choice, could participate in what was happening in Valletta and Victoria via their television sets. And the idea to shift to and from different locations was something that worked well.

The only flaw was that some of the presenters were not up to standard. They kept on talking too much and the directors did well to cut them off, often in mid-sentence, to focus on the singers and the songs. Some of the presenters seemed to want to be the protagonists of the show, when they clearly were not.

Having singers like Ira Losco and Winter Moods perform on the night was an excellent idea. The choice of some of the presenters was not.