The annual and very controversial Nadur Carnival has caused an uproar once again in the wake of some questionable carnival costumes on display. Or, to be more exact, in the way a certain white Isuzu van was decorated.

The white van was, assumedly, meant to play the part of a Mount Carmel van, and featured phrases like “Mount Carmel Taxi” and “Crazy sick people” scrawled all over it.

However, many people were outraged as the image circulated online, with many calling out the vehicular costume as insensitive in the wake of the recent death of a Mount Carmel in-patient. 

Some people, including leading politicians, condemned the van as “disgusting”

Others commented on how it took a van at Nadur Carnival for Malta to actually start discussing the topic of mental health

Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri ended up taking down his Facebook comment after defending Nadur Carnival’s traditional spontaneity

While others commented on everyone missing the humour in the stunt

With so much discussion around mental health issues occurring in just the first few weeks of this year, and Malta’s Eurovision entry written with mental health in mind, 2018 may be the year that a real change happens in the way Malta treats some of its most vulnerable.

What did you think of the Carnival stunt?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]