words by Carol King The mayor of the Sicilian town of Modica in the province of Ragusa has ordered workers in charge of public toilets to wear traditional costume. The mayor Ignazio Abbate won the local election in June 2013 representing the centrist coalition 'Fare Modica' and 'Unione di Centro'. In an attempt to attract tourists to the Baroque town that has UNESCO World Heritage Site status, he has ordered that those in charge of manning the restrooms in the historic centre wear the traditional dress of rural workers. The ‘Corriere del Mezzogiorno’ reports that Abbate said of his initiative: “It seemed like a good idea... to think of creating a tourist attraction exploiting our traditions, starting with the clothing of the public-toilet attendants. The costumes have to recall traditional Modican rural culture... But the most important thing is that the services are managed as best as possible and are pleasant, fragrant and usable by citizens and tourists.” However, not all Modicans are impressed with the idea, leaving some bemused by what traditional costume signifies, since, despite questioning older members of the community, no one seems to recall what it is. Other commentators have made fun of the idea suggesting that perhaps users may be taken to the toilets in a traditional painted Sicilian cart accompanied by musicians playing the tambourine and penny whistle.
