The big hunting debate (1)

Both Environment Minister George Pullicino and Ray Bezzina, from the Ministry of Rural Affairs and the Environment, (March 2) mention the increased penalties for infringements and express surprise that Birdlife overlooks their importance. Maybe Birdlife is just being realistic! Paper legislation is worth nothing if the laws are not enforced and the maximum penalties not imposed by the courts.

The minister himself states: "This is not the first increase by this administration to the penalties regime". Exactly! And have these increases stopped illegal hunting? No, because the understaffed police administrative law enforcement unit cannot cope effectively. So, in the first place, illegal hunters know they have a good chance of getting away with their crime, and, secondly, even when caught, the sentences handed down by the courts have invariably been derisory and have failed to act as a deterrent. Not to mention the case of the recent memorandum not to charge illegal hunters!

Both Mr Pullicino and Mr Bezzina also state that by voting to join the EU the Maltese people were giving their mandate to spring hunting. In my own case and, I am sure, in the case of many others, the vote to join the EU was in the hope that the EU would do what this government has consistently refused to do and that is to ban spring hunting and to curb rampant illegal hunting.

As was stated in another letter "Not in my name!" Furthermore, in addition to James George's letter, in my family there are five voters!