Council
to take action following june29th.com’s interview
Following
june29th.com’s controversial interview with Dr Vicki Ann Cremona on
Nadur’s Spontaneous Carnival, the Nadur Local Council has agreed to
set up a study group to discuss and evaluate what should be done to
strengthen Nadur’s unique macabre Carnival. Speaking
to june29th.com Mayor Dr Chris Said said the Council has also agreed not to put up the
floodlights which used to be installed in December 13th Street during
Carnival days.
"It
is in the Local Council’s interest that we preserve and strengthen
Nadur’s spontaneous Carnival. It’s a unique celebration in the
Maltese Islands, attracting thousands of people to Nadur and, despite
what Dr Vicki Ann Cremona alleged, the Local Council is doing its utmost
to preserve the Nadur Carnival.
Our
Local Council’s biggest sub-committee is that dealing with Nadur’s
Carnival. Twenty-two persons meet regularly for almost seven months
prior to Carnival Week and besides organizing the Sunday Show, they
discuss the spontaneous celebrations. The Council was always committed
not to intrude or disrupt in any way the spontaneity of this special
Carnival. The Local Council’s ‘involvement’ is limited to: a)
collaboration with Gozo’s Police Force to guarantee security and avoid
animal cruelty; b) commissioning beat groups to entertain the crowd c)
guaranteeing an ambulance and a Red Cross Emergency service and; d)
being responsible to clean December 13th Street every day throughout the
Carnival days.
The Local Council has taken the initiative to promote our Carnival in foreign countries through the European Federation of Carnival Cities. Until the Council started doing this promotion, very few foreigners had ever heard of our carnival. Now, thanks to our effort, in two years time Nadur will be the World’s Carnival City. Our spontaneous Carnival is taking an international dimension.
We
want the spontaneous Carnival to remain as spontaneous as possible.
Three years ago the authorities wanted to close all access to any
Carnival float passing through December 13th Street. The Local Council
had immediately intervened and through discussions we agreed that the
road should remain open on both ends so that there could be a smooth
flow of both the crowd and the floats.
The
Nadur Local Council has also agreed to set up a study-group to monitor,
discuss and evaluate Nadur’s Spontaneous Carnival. The study-group
will start meeting in a few weeks time.
For
the first time this year, a Carnivalesque German 
band
will replace the usual beat bands on a number of evenings. I am sure
that this German band will add more life to the Carnival atmosphere.
The
organized Carnival in Nadur had a humble start a few years ago. Yet, it
expanded year after year because the people wanted such a show. So many
young people and adults gather in a number of garages for months,
preparing big and small floats for our carnival. The Nadurin are using
their talents and showing them through the Sunday Carnival Show.
Children and adults alike enjoy the show and year after year the crowd
is getting bigger and bigger."
