The Earth Garden Festival was once again a tremendous success. Artisan markets, organic produce, music, live performers, camp-sites and more.

Following the closure of the festival, this newspaper got hold of photographs which were sent to us by people who had camped out and deplored the absolute mess that many people left behind them.

Not to be outdone, we sent our own photographer down to the site in the morning and we were absolutely astounded by the massive cleanup operation which had taken place. Ta’ Qali was looking pretty spic and span, and we published photographs showing as much. This media house praised the organisers for the better organisation of the festival, including the placement of numerous bins and receptacles which were lacking in the past. We also praised the organisers for cleaning up and leaving Ta’ Qali as they found it... yet for some reason, they have decided to say that we took a ‘cheap shot’ by simply publishing photographs of the mess that was left behind. We also published photos of the cleaned up site.

The article in question never once took a pot-shot at the organisers – the blame we put was on those revellers who attended and decided not to make use of the facilities that were on offer and simply threw everything here there and everywhere. We had said that it was ironic that (some of) those who were in attendance of a festival inspired by nature and a love for the earth would simply go and throw their litter in any place they saw fit – despite the fact that there were plenty of rubbish bins and collection points.

We do not understand how anyone could have taken exception to the article, penned and published on Tuesday. It could have something to do with our odd Mediterranean culture where one cannot criticise anything without being called “cheap”. We gave the organisers credit for putting facilities in easy reach in the first place, we go on to praise them for cleaning up, and we follow up with criticism of the thoughtless souls who decided that they would litter anyway. And for that, we are told we took a cheap shot.

In their submission to this newspaper, the organisers went on to complain that things would be a lot easier if there was a site where more could be done to prevent littering and mess, and we wholeheartedly agree. What we will continue to harp on about though, is that we are a nation of litterbugs and a nation of people who, despite ongoing education campaigns we have a seemingly compulsive need to throw our rubbish anywhere but in a bin. That is what we attacked in the first place, and that is what we will continue to attack. We should be ashamed.