Carnival commission, float maker seek to introduce political satire

Political satire should be allowed during carnival, according to float-maker Brian Bonnici.

He said satire was the order of the day in cartoons in the print media, not to mention the regular send-ups on political personalities on television programmes.

Political satire in carnival is forbidden under the 1934 police regulations.

Such restrictions hindered artists from expressing themselves, Mr Bonnici said.

George Zahra, deputy chairman of the Carnival Commission, shares that opinion.

Mr Zahra said the Carnival Commission had in 1998 written to then prime minister Alfred Sant expressing their desire to allow satire during carnival.

"Dr Sant wrote back saying he felt the time was not yet ripe to allow satire.

"The Carnival Commission has also written to Culture Minister Louis Galea who replied that in principle he agrees that satire ought to be given the green light but that is all that has been achieved so far," Mr Zahra said.

Mr Zahra said it was high time that the 1934 police regulations on carnival be superseded by new regulations.

Mr Bonnici said the Carnival Commission was determined to reduce the size of the floats, which restricts float makers in their bid to make their creations spectacular, with as many moving parts as possible.

"This size restriction, however, does not hinder float-makers from using telescopic parts as they parade along the streets," Mr Zahra said.

One of the main causes of concern for float makers is that their costs are always rising and they have to pay VAT on the materials they buy, such as metal bars, cloth and fluorescent paint.

"Building a float costs about Lm1,200, not taking into account the amount of free time by helpers and the money you have to fork out to provide the helpers with food and drinks during their stints on the float," Mr Bonnici said.

There are three prizes for each category in the triumphal floats section.

In category A, the prizes are Lm1,075, Lm975 and Lm872; section B: Lm950, Lm850 and Lm725; category C: Lm750, Lm680 and Lm600.

Contestants who do not place among the first three places get 60 per cent of the third prize of the category they compete in.

Mr Bonnici said that section C should be dedicated to local folk figures in order to retain the Mediterranean character of such a time of revelry.

"The same goes for mule-driven carts and karrozzini, horse- drawn cabs. Without such shades of folklore, carnival would end up being just a show shorn of meaning.

"King Carnival should incorporate features that make a statement that this is the carnival of Malta," Mr Bonnici argued.

Mr Zahra explained that the carts and karrozzin sections had been removed because there were too many.

"But having said that, the commission is aware that the local character also needs to be mirrored during carnival and we will be seeing to it that it is represented in future editions," he added.

Mr Bonnici has been participating in carnival for the past three years.

He inherited his love for carnival from his maternal grandfather, Guzeppi Zerafa known as il-prince and his uncle, Raymond Zerafa, affectionately known as il-perzuta.

Mr Bonnici has spent the past year promoting the Maltese carnival with carnival organisers in Italian cities and towns and will next week launch a website on the Maltese carnival. He is also putting together a proposal for the EU programme Youth for the exchange of young people between Malta and Acireale in Sicily.

"Maltese carnival is not promoted overseas as much as it should be.

"After I introduced the Maltese carnival to Foiano della Chiana, close to Milan, that carnival commission's secretary, Cinzia Miraglio, will be promoting the carnival of Malta in one of the gazebos they set up during carnival," Mr Bonnici said.