If you had in mind that this weekend you were going to St Julian’s to watch the fireworks displays and have a nice meal or a drink in good company you are going to be disappointed.
There will be no fireworks for the feast of St Julian this week after owners of entertainment establishments, including restaurants and bars, did not contribute financially for the added value – colourful fireworks in the picturesque Spinola Bay.
This year the St Julian’s committee will not be displaying any fireworks, a spokesperson from the committee told this newsroom. Apart from the financial aspect, there are also logistic issues that hindered the display.
The spokesman said that while owners of restaurants and other establishments tell their clients that they can dine or have a drink while watching fireworks, they refuse to contribute any money or, when they do, offer miserly sums. He added that the committee members themselves end up either forking out money themselves or else collect what is needed from the same 80 -90 people who are residents in St Julian’s. In the past years the total amount spent to manufacture the fireworks reached €15,000.
The second problem that the committee faced during the years was to install the barge in the middle of the bay. The spokesperson told us that it was a big bureaucratic and logistical headache to get all the necessary paperwork.
He hoped that next year these problems will be solved and once again the Maltese people, particularly St Julian’s residents, will be able to enjoy firework displays.