Fuelling an already sizzling controversy

Lino Farrugia's (FKNK) latest demands for yet more privileges for hunters and trappers is outrageous.

"Hunter" appointed marshals to report illegal hunting to a "hunter" board who will then "decide" whether or not to report it to the police!

Oh yes, that will cure it all right - just like it's done in the past... and what's the betting the Ornis committee will unilaterally recommend it again!

Then he wants to allow shooting 100 metres from habitation instead of 200 metres, "because space is getting smaller". Mr Farrugia and his hunters already deny most of the countryside to non-hunting country lovers. Yes, space is getting smaller for those too! And what's going to happen when it continues to get smaller? Is he going to want to shoot in our front gardens then?

Shooting at sea after 1 p.m., more killing time in late summer, hoping to continue after 2008, and, of course, keep spring hunting... etc etc.

Like most of Malta's indigenous species, which hunters have "conserved" to extinction, spring hunting itself is now under threat. So Mr Farrugia and the FKNK have decided, as usual, to go over the top, fight fire with fire; they've nothing to lose so go for broke!

This attitude, and the demands themselves, show clearly how effective Mr Farrugia's "self regulation" idea would be. Furthermore, does he not realise that by constantly demanding even more of these shrinking islands for himself and his hunters, he is merely throwing more fuel onto an already blazing controversy, and putting the backs up of more and more people both at home and abroad.

If you'll excuse the pun, I hope all these suggestions are shot down!