George Said (TMID 21 August) must have a brazen face indeed to express surprise at the press release issued by the Leone Band Club of Gozo. For a whole month, a mounting campaign originating was organised to ruin the preparations of the festivity of Santa Marija. Intimidatory e-mails, false reports, mail-shots, different webpages, were all used to try to disrupt the feast of Santa Marija.

With no success, however! So the people behind this intimidatory campaign resorted to more direct action. First, late in the evening of the 14th instant, someone hurled a noxious substance from the direction of the rival club when the Leone Band march was approaching the point. Secondly, during midday on the day after (perhaps with the blessing of the Archpriest), the bells of the St George’s parochial church were pealed uninterruptedly for almost two full hours to disrupt a legal band march.

Mr Said seemingly forgot (a) the shower of empty glass bottles on the Leone Band from the balcony of La Stella Band Club on the night of 14th August 1976; (b) the placing of a bomb at the Cathedral door early in the morning of August 1999. Both incidents were intended to maim and kill to disrupt the feast.

His letter and all the above betrays the fact that some people, like Mr Said and his ilk, cannot stomach the success of a great festa.

Joseph Apap

Victoria