They're considered as a traditional past-time in the same way as hunting and trapping. But hooked as they are into the celebrations of village and township festas, fireworks are supported by much more complex social structures. In the case of hunting and trapping, these involve people who actually hunt and trap plus most of their families.

By contrast, three kinds of citizens are recognizable as enthusiasts or as people having some interest in pyrotechnics. There are those who share a fascination with the manufacture of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic products no matter how dangerous they could be - the hardcore if you like. Others deeply enjoy the shows of lights and colours that  cover the skies on festa days and do their best not to miss any such displays. Then there are the leaders and organizers of band clubs and festa committees who consider fireworks events as crucial elements of the celebrations they put up year in year out.  With them more recently, could be included government administrators who are trying to create an international niche for Malta in the sector of pyrotechnic spectacles.

The fact remains nonetheless that this traditional sector accounts for some of the worst human tragedies that have occurred in Malta.         

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CONSTITUENCY MPS

The results of the recent elections confirmed the trend towards a reduction of constituency MPs - people's representatives in Parliament who without being ministers, keep alive a direct personal relationship with people in the neighbourhoods which elected them. Their parliamentary work indeed consists mainly of efforts to service the everyday  needs of their constituents. But it does seem like the regular give and take of the past between MPs and constituents will continue to slacken.

It's true that contacts can still be maintained via social media... That however is not the same as when citizens frequently come face to face with their MP in the squares of their town or as he/she crosses through the lanes of their village centre. And it's not the same thing either when ongoing contacts are instead being done by the customer care staff of ministries... when that is, a constituency happens to have a minister as one of its representatives.

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TWO SPEECHES

I'm not a fan of speeches, preferring the ping pong of arguments and comments that arise during a debate. Still sometimes, speeches are delivered which merit recognition and praise. Two that were given recently fall into this bracket.

There was Prime Minister Robert Abela's speech (which I listened to) at the end of Labour's mass meeting on the Floriana Granaries that concluded their election campaign. The speech maintained a clear and emotional tone that was however also well calibrated. It went on for the time needed to deliver its message without circumlocutions or triumphalism. A speech that has to be given at the very end of an election campaign can never be an easy exercise. In this case, all the looming challenges were cleared with total mastery.      

Then there was the speech given by Speaker of the House Anġlu Farrugia (which I read) on the occasion of the Seventh June public holiday. It dealt with the functions that the Maltese Parliament has and should have today and in the future, by providing a sharp assessment of the House of Representatives's actual performance, and of the potential it possesses to make an ever greater contribution to the political, economic and social development of our people. The strategic perspective of the speech was admirable.