Mark Gauci, Rabat (Malta).
Hunters' votes
It is quite astounding how some people can claim that the last election did not cast a clear verdict on the hunting issue once and for all.
Though both political parties took an identical stance, the message being pushed by the hunters' federation was unequivocally clear and urged the hunters to vote with their head and not with their heart - to vote for the party that always seemed to please and give in to their requests, namely the Malta Labour Party.
Indeed, while browsing through the hunters' forum one could easily think one was actually in the MLP's website with numerous posts urging hunters to vote Labour for them to have a last chance to enjoy their so called "socio-cultural hobby". So, retrospectively, it must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the FKNK's council to issue a press release congratulating the Nationalist Party on their election victory. Most probably they had to revert to plan B - a damage limitation exercise!
Let us therefore all hope that we will not be subject to more ridiculous taunts of 17,000 votes plus those of the family members because consecutive elections, plus an EU referendum, in which the hunters were represented and obtained abysmal results, have again and again proven that, yes, hunters' votes no longer swing an election one way or another.
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Liam Kelly
Mar 28th 2008, 21:26
Sylvana face facts, your type are not accepted anymore, your type are a disgrace and an embarresment to Malta and soon society will have the confidence and support to stand up to you and finally eradicate your cruel and barbaric ways
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Mar 28th 2008, 16:06
LIES, LIES AND LIES!! What facts does Mr. Azzopardi think he is bringing forward when stating that the MLP promised to re-open EU negotiations with regard to hunting? That is indeed a big fat lie. Had the MLP promised that, I can assure the anti-hunting lobby that the MLP would have had a sweeping victory over the PN! The 17,000 hunters together with their families and friends would indeed have shown their strength through their votes.
John Azzopardi
Mar 28th 2008, 15:27
It is pointless hypothesizing. The fact of the matter is that the veiled attempt by MLP to attract hunters' vote (by promising the renegotiation of the EU package) failed miserably. Not only did hunters not swing from PN to MLP but MLP lost votes as well. The case is now conclusively closed. The electorate wants government to abide by EU law as should have happened long ago.
Antoine Grima
Mar 28th 2008, 14:14
How wonderful and thoughtful of Mr Gauci deciding that now we can sweep aside 17,000 hunters and there families. If you ask me, the two political parties never took a stand on hunting , because they feared a large loss of votes from the environmentalists and we all know the outcome of that. So Mr Gauci i promise to think of you in my prayers for being so nature loving .
Wilfred Camilleri
Mar 28th 2008, 14:04
Regardless of the outcome of the election it is clear that the majority of the Maltese electorate are against hunting. The fact remains that Malta has been put on notice by the EU to stop Spring hunting.
Hunters should find a new hobby. Clay pigeon shooting comes to mind. Perhaps they can even enjoy birds in their natural habitat by practicing birdwatching and/or photographing them as a hobby.
Kenneth Cassar
Mar 28th 2008, 13:29
The fact is that in this election, hunting was not an issue. Regardless of anything any political party says, the final say is that of the European Court of Justice.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Mar 28th 2008, 10:49
Can Mr. Gauci enlighten me as to whether the 12,000 votes reduction by PN belonged to hunters / anti-hunting individuals?! He seems to assume that there were no hunters amongst them. I honestly wish to see more facts put forward by the anti-hunting lobby.
Paul Caruana
Mar 28th 2008, 10:48
What is quite astounding is how you can claim a clear election verdict on the hunting issue “once and for all”. Have you any idea how many MLP sympathizers are disgruntled about the fact that the FKNK did not spell out how hunters should vote? Do you know how many of the 1500 who voted for Azzjoni Nazzjonali were hunters? And how many hunters voted Nationalist? Indeed, some posts on the FKNK forum urged hunters to vote Labour. So what? What matters is that the official FKNK position left hunters free to vote as they wished. How would an MLP government have defended the PN spring hunting court case in the European Court of Justice? Do you think that all hunters are stupid?