Valletta hit back at Floriana over New Year’s eve transport fiasco

In a statement, the Valletta local council published correspondence it sent to the Floriana council before Christmas whereby it revealed that the Floriana council had exerted pressure on the Prime Minister not to allow government to support the Valletta event.

While Valletta augured its rival town every success for the event, it explained that it had also granted permission to the Floriana council to let off fireworks from opposite the Central Bank, as long as they produced an insurance policy that covered the risks to council or third party property.

“The Valletta council stresses that useless pique would bring no good for either localities,” the letter had said, adding that the Valletta council had done all it could to invite the Floriana council to collaborate and jointly organize worthy activities.

The council added that Floriana were granted the permit to let off fireworks from opposite the Central Bank, to the detriment of many who had to find parking elsewhere.

In its statement, the Valletta local council explained that during the 2009 event, the police had refused to issue Floriana with a permit to hold celebrations in St. Anne Street due to the strategic importance of the street.

It added that the Floriana local council had reached no agreement with public transport for New Year’s eve and had to depend on arrangements made by the Valletta council.

‘When the Valletta council had suggested to the Floriana council to share the expenses for an extension of use of the park and ride facilities, Floriana had refused,” it said.