A number of Maltese personalities have joined Birdlife Malta's campaign against spring hunting and are calling on the leaders of the two main political parties to take a common stand and abolish the practice once and for all.
The message on the billboards and media campaign, launched yesterday at the Radisson SAS Hotel, St George's Bay, is clear: "Dr Gonzi, Dr Sant, stop illegal spring hunting now".
The personalities who will feature in this campaign are: artists Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Maurice Tanti Burlò and Celia Borg Cardona; hotelier Winston J. Zahra; magazine editor Sarah Puntan-Galea; columnist Andrew Borg Cardona (I.M. Beck); entertainer Gianni Zammit, television presenters Moira Delia, Ray Calleja and Pauline Agius; physicist Edward Mallia; percussionist Renzo Spiteri; and actor Alan Montanaro.
Birdlife expressed its appreciation for the support shown by these individuals for its campaign against spring hunting, which backs the European Commission's stand that there is no need to open the season in Malta during this period.
The Commission last month expressed its intention to request an interim measure to stop spring hunting this year should this prove necessary. Taking a cue from this, Birdlife is putting the political parties on the spot to spare Malta the embarrassment of having the case resolved in the European Court of Justice.
"The Government and the Opposition should not attempt to put the weight of the decision to stop spring hunting in Malta on the European Commission and Court of Justice, when it is undeniable that a spring hunting season in Malta is unjustified," Birdlife Malta president Joseph Mangion said.
"Furthermore, the mandate from the Maltese people is crystal clear, as past opinion polls have repeatedly shown the overwhelming majority of the Maltese are firmly against spring hunting. The Maltese continue to be vociferous on this matter and it is wonderful to see these public figures stand up for our common natural heritage," Mr Mangion said. Birdlife executive director Tolga Temuge said this campaign went beyond politics and stressed that the political parties should not be held ransom by the hunters' vote because the majority of Maltese wanted spring hunting to end.
He also felt that times had changed and he believed hunters would not base their vote on a single issue, as had been witnessed during the elections for the MEPs.
Wearing a T-shirt, with the words 'Stop Illegal Hunting' emblazoned on it, Winston J. Zahra, Island Hotels Group operations, sales and marketing director, said he was backing the campaign for two reasons.
"First, I don't think we should be told what to do, and Malta should have the courage to take its own decisions. Second, from a tourism point of view, spring hunting is harming Malta's image and politicians should take a single joint decision on this," he said. Moira Delia, a television presenter and animal lover/activist, said she wanted to be part of Birdlife's campaign because animals and birds had no voice, but the public did and they should stand up and be counted.