JUAN AMEEN

The Floriana local council has sent the Ministry for Tourism and Culture a bill for Lm1,425, which includes damage caused to the Granaries by the 40,000-strong crowd that attended the Isle of MTV concert.

On Wednesday, the Floriana local council sent an invoice to the ministry, addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Peter Portelli, for Lm1,425.

Four days after the Isle of MTV party, an angry Floriana local council called a press conference complaining about, among other things, the damage caused by the crowd attending the party and the fact that the organisers did not adhere to the conditions imposed by the local council.

On the eve of the party, the council requested an urgent meeting with the organisers and representatives of the Tourism Ministry.

Floriana mayor Nigel Holland explained that they had requested a Lm500/EUR1,164.69 deposit from the organisers to make sure they did not breach any of the conditions.

However, a high-ranking official within the ministry informed them soon after that the deposit would not be paid.

As a result, the local council assumed that the organisers were not going to adhere to the rules.

During the press conference, the Floriana councillors complained about scaffolding that had not yet been dismantled and that various trucks and vehicles were parked on the Granaries – a no-go area for vehicles.

The council also protested about the huge mess left after the party, with litter scattered all over the streets and people using the streets as a urinal.

The invoice gave a breakdown of the damage including the Lm500/EUR1,164.69 deposit that was not paid.

Another Lm700 was added – a Lm100 daily fine until the electricity cables on the Granaries were put back in their place.

Other damage amounted to Lm105 – Lm20 for signs, Lm20 for broken stones on the Granaries, Lm40 for dismantled columns on a boundary wall and another Lm25 for a broken bench in Pope John XXIII Square.

The invoice also pointed out that it did not include damage to the recently inaugurated Mall Garden, as it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Floriana local council.