Hearing set for Wednesday

JOHN SCERRI

Mar 31st 2008, 12:22

Dear Charles Sammut :- Do you remember when during the Colonial Days Filfla was used as target practice by the Royal Navy- and yet we had self government ?
I don't think it was just lead which destroyed the fauna and flora on this island apart from the island itself.
As for the article in question -
I am personally against hunting birds ,whether in spring or in any other season.
For all I care hunters can have a practice range and shoot on CLAY pigeons. Clay pigeons are moving objects in the sky just like birds.
There is the lead issue too,unless there is an alternative to lead pellets in the form of hard degradable pellets which are eco friendly .

Charles Sammut

Mar 31st 2008, 10:00

John Scerri, aren't you contradicting yourself? The work of all those "brave leaders" who gave us Independence and the Republic went down the tubes when Malta joined the EU. At least in the bad old colonial days we had self government. We don't even have that, now! The 2 parties representing us in parliament fall over themselves to grovel and acquiesce to every EU demand, however damaging it is when applied to a tiny island country like Malta. Except, that is, for matters which conflict with Catholic tenets, where we are more Catholic than the Pope, and religion precedes state matters.

However this article is about spring hunting. Has the government (and opposition) so totally lost control over the country that it has to hide behind EU decisions to implement what is a common sense policy?

Besides the fact that it is a barbaric blood sport, shooting results in tons of lead being deposited what little countryside we have left. Trapping also deprives us common citizens from the joy of listening to birds in song in this beautiful time of the year.

Robert Sultana

Mar 30th 2008, 14:21

To all of you in the anti-hunting lobby who voted for EU membership. Don't try to tell us that you didn't know Spring Hunting was one of the 'Special Arrangements' obtained by Malta at the Pre-accesion meetings. It was and still is a well known fact. You think it fair and justified that Maltese are not allowed to hunt in spring but at the same time being allowed to go to various european countries and hunting various species? During April/May and paying dearly,of course. What hypocrisy !

JOHN SCERRI

Mar 30th 2008, 13:07

Dear Mr.Bennet, with all due respect,
I am seriously amazed how a person like you, living in a country like yours , which is a full EU member and is still not in the Eurozone , is still not part of the Shengen treaty, expects to dictate to a former 'British' colony what is right for us do decide.
Mr.Bennet ,the only time we in Malta could not govern on our own was when we were a British colony.
The Queen's governor was head of state during those years.
Thanks to all our brave leaders we acquired our Independence in 1964 without any bloodshed and became a Republic in 1974.
Whether you like it or not you and your countrymen have to contribute millions from your taxes to support your Royal Family.
You have to keep your currency to support your Royal Family's image.
You dream of doing many things other countries are doing but you cannot because altough you are free in your own land you have no say on many issues in former 'Great Britain' now called England.
Being a sovereign nation does not mean segregating oneself from all the rest as your country is doing.
In today's world we are one and we should work as one for the benefit of all mankind.

Tony Caruana

Mar 30th 2008, 10:01

Some of the anti hunting lobby do not get the point. This is not just about hunting. The EU made 77 'Special Arrangements' at our pre accesion talks. Now it is renegading one of them. What's next ? Abortion ? Also the EU was quick to reply to certain leaders before the last General Election but convienently stayed quiet when hunters where promise spring hunting before the referendum. Like Derek Bennet said ' Sadly, the people of Malta decided to vote in favour of joining and in reality have now signed away their freedom, democracy and sovereignty"
Also Spring Hunting is allowed in many of the big EU countries Including Spain, The UK and Finland. But the EU is throwing all it's might at Malta. How i regret voting for the EU !!!!

John J Schranz

Mar 30th 2008, 03:02

Oh, Mr Bennett, - how side-splittingly funny :) We have lost our currency and we have lost our spring rolls (sorry, hunting) and we cannot make our laws. Why don't you buy an island and live on it so that you can have your currency, your spring and autumn and summer and winter fox hunting and make your own laws?! Mr Bennett, Mr Bennet - we are living in a universe where some uninformed someone from thousands of kilometres (sorry, miles) away can tell thousands of others "what they ought to know but don't do they..." and you want to teach us how not to belong to this wide community that we call world? Please live your life in the 21st century.

D Camilleri

Mar 29th 2008, 21:42

Mr Bennett thanks for your wisdom, we haven't lost our spring hunting, most of us never wanted it in the first place, and that why we voted for EU membership, I personally, trust the people in the EU more, at least the rules are for everyone, not for everyone except our friends
and constituents, and drivers family and the landowner who paid for our election campaign.

Don Manning

Mar 29th 2008, 20:43

I cannot believe that anyone apart from hunters wants spring, summer, autumn or winter hunting, it that at least 10 against to every hunter?

Marina Xuereb

Mar 29th 2008, 19:26

I hope that hunting will be banned forever in Malta. The island is too small and there are too many hunters locally to make hunting possible without ruining the tranquility and possible enjoyment of what is left of the countryside as well as upsetting several aspects of ecological balance and environmental health. Hunting in Malta may have been sustainable fifty years ago but it certainly is not so now.
Unfortunately hunters are bringing up their "hobby" and "tradition" arguments and there is a risk that they will get away with it. But by the same perverse yardstick, people whose hobby it is to rape, abuse and inflict the most sadistic and harmful of acts should be allowed to practice their hobby too.

Derek Bennett

Mar 29th 2008, 17:00

Ramon Casha has a point that when you join an organisation you accept certain obligations. Many of us here in the UK did try to warn the people of Malta what those onerous obligations would be before Malta's referendum on membership, which are far more reaching than the obligations laid down by membership of the Commonwealth and the UN.

Sadly, the people of Malta decided to vote in favour of joining and in reality have now signed away their freedom, democracy and sovereignty. You are no longer governed by the people in Malta who you vote for, you are governed by the people in the EU who you do not vote for.

So far you have lost your currency, your spring hunting and your right to make your own laws. When the EU is finished you will have lost everyting, just as we in the UK will too. You had the chance to keep clear of the EU through the hindsight and wisdom of those in the UK who knew what was in store for you. We in the UK did not know what was coming. We did try to warn you but now it's too late - your lovely Island is lost.

Ramon Casha

Mar 29th 2008, 14:53

Disturbing? I find it quite normal that when a country joins a multinational organisation, it will take on certain obligations. There are rules we have to follow coming from the UN, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth, and now the EU. We knew this when we voted to join the EU. Incidentally, when dealing with migratory birds (among other things), what happens here affects other places.

Mario Attard

Mar 29th 2008, 13:45

I have heard no announcement that Spring trapping has been allowed. Yet, trapping of songbirds has been going on with impunity these last two weeks.

Antoine Grima

Mar 29th 2008, 12:30

It's disturbing to know that someone thousands of miles away will be deciding what happens here.What exactly do we elect a government for ?