Summer misdemeanours : the party craze

Abstract

I had hoped that benign manias, of the Harry Potter type, would dominate the summer months so that we would all get a break. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The summer heat seems to give youngsters renewed vigour to attend open-air parties. The organisers of such parties are always raring in their search for that exclusive party venue, such as secluded beaches or woodland, two of the least widespread habitats in the Maltese Islands. The hordes attending such parties, composed of thousands of drunkards in a massive slumber, literally disseminate noise pollution into the environs, breaking the silence of such secluded spots, which visitors so crave for. Paradise Bay bears the brunt of such parties every summer. It transpired that party organisers need a MEPA permit - a condition which has only been imposed recently. While this is welcome news, it is somewhat galling that the organisers of a particular party held on July 19 had the temerity not to disclose the exact venue of their party and asked partygoers to follow the signs from Paradise Bay.