Shortly after his inauguration, the new Bishop of Gozo urged Gozitans to exercise retraint in the use of fireworks during the festa season. The response of the parish of San Lawrenz to his well-reasoned plea has been to subject the west of Gozo to a three-day aerial bombardment the like of which has not been heard on these islands since the dark days of World War II. Normal conversation, the enjoyment of a television movie and the putting to bed of children became an impossibility.

Malta, along with Zimbabwe and Darfur, currently qualify for EU food aid (we have all received our donation of rice, pasta and biscuits marked "EU Aid, Not For Resale" in the past few days). Can we really afford to send so much money up in smoke?

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