Wednesday, 4th February 2009 - 13:00CET

UPDATED: Hunters hit out at government involvement in BirdLife campaign

The Hunters’ Federation has accused the Maltese government, through MEPA, of participating and part-sponsoring a two-year campaign to exterminate trapping after having to safeguard it.

“That the Maltese government has unashamedly and cruelly sacrificed an integral part of the lives of thousands of Maltese hunters and trappers, is today, a matter of fact. But that it participates in and sponsors financially a two-year campaign to exterminate a Maltese and Gozitan socio-cultural activity that it so vehemently promised to uphold and safeguard before the EU referendum is, not only inexplicable but totally unacceptable,” the FKNK said.

The federation asked whether this was the way the government wasted taxpayers’ money. It pointed out that the government had been withholding refunds due to the FKNK since 2007, despite their inclusion in the Budget estimates!

The federation said it was also shameful that the EU wasopting to use of taxpayers’ funds to abolish - trapping.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) denies that it has financially contributed towards the two-year BirdLife campaign that commenced last week.

In a reaction, MEPA denied sponsoring the BirdLife campaign.

"While the Authority acknowledges that it was willing to support this project, it had specifically requested BirdLife (Malta) to directly involve key stakeholders such as FKNK and other associations that represent trappers in the project activities as a condition of MEPA sponsorship.

"Because this condition was not fulfilled, MEPA did not enter into any formal commitment with BirdLife to sponsor this project, MEPA said.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

C Mallia (on 6/2/09)

I wish to see what kind of educational campaigning of its hunters the FKNK are willing to promote for its highly disputed "socio-cultural and traditional" killing machine past-time. Instead they are out right dabbing in politics and criticising a campaign, which after all has the scope of real conservation. Conservation - a word they cheekily put on their association name. Maybe that word is not really for environmental conservation after all, but the conservation so that hunters can continue bullying our political parties, hogging the countryside, and protecting their members only. If FKNK want to mess with politics, they should field their own candidates otherwise shut up to the will of the majority,

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI (on 4/2/09)

J Borg.

For the benefit of your ignorance, the funds given to the FKNK by Government are taken from the hunters licences fees.

Franco Farrugia (on 4/2/09)

@ Mr Andrew Gatt - How hurt and disappointed I am that Mr Gatt chooses to accuse me in such a serious manner. I examined and reexamined my conscience to check what lay in my heart when I wrote that sentence and I simply could not find one shred of feelings of hatred towards anyone, believe me, oh please, dooooo believe me.

I went through that sentence for many times and I simply could not understand how Mr Gatt could arrive at such a conclusion as to accuse me of being hateful to the point of being vitriolic.

After all, I am not a cruel person - I do not take away lives, human or otherwise. I do not rob fellow human-beings of the pleasures of having birds around them, free and able to fly.

So, where is my vitriol? Where is my intolerance? Where is my sense of cruelty?

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin (on 4/2/09)

The usual baseless arguments from the anti-hunting lobby! The refunds FKNK are expecting from Government come from the payment of the Hunters' yearly licences. There exists an agreement in this regard. Please try informing yourselves well before commenting. Or maybe, this is being done on purpose to mislead readers.

"I be more than happy to readjust my tax declarations" !!!!!!!!!! Mr. J. Borg, it would be more beneficial if you could direct your energy in informing us readers how exactly to do this instead of wasting your energy in commenting in a misleading way. What penalty are you exactly referring to? The ECJ cannot impose such penalties on the Maltese Government at the moment - not even if this court decides against Malta. Please inform yourself well.

S Schembri (on 4/2/09)

“That the Maltese government has unashamedly and cruelly sacrificed an integral part of the lives of thousands of Maltese hunters and trappers, is today, a matter of fact.”

Dear FKNK, lets rephrase your comment a bit please if you do not mind,

“That the Maltese government has unashamedly and cruelly sacrificed an integral part of the lives of thousands of Maltese CITIZENS IN ALLOWING hunters and trappers, SHOOTING AND TRAPPING BIRDS WHICH THEY DO NOT OWN, is today, a matter of fact.”

N.Calleja (on 4/2/09)

What cheek this FKNK is! The government is accused of ' unashamedly and cruelly sacrificed an integral part of the lives of thousands of Maltese hunters and trappers' and that it is exterminating a Maltese and Gozitan sociio-cultural activity. All this is inexplicable and totally unacceptable. With all the cheek the FKNK is accusing the government and the EU of wasting taxpayers' money. The government should be complimented for such a step as FKNK should realise the days of hunters threatening are over as the majority have proved many times that it is against hunting and trapping. Even birds agree!!

M. Cardona (on 4/2/09)

Just last year FKNK submitted a formal request for EU funds for the re-introduction of bird species in Malta. UNASHAMEDLY this request was turned down. The same EU with the blessing and co-funding of the local government is now funding a project which only seeks the abolishment of an integral part of our social and cultural history, and all this notwithstanding the promises of safeguards and agreements. All this also irrespective of the EU boasts of safeguarding the diverse cultural heritages!!

What should irk the evermore heavily taxed public is that these same funds could have been utilised for the release and reintroduction of bird species, rather than serve ignoble misinformations.

Birdlife Intenational itself recognizes that the best form of protection is that resulting through co-operation with and education of the local hunting fraternities. Meanwhile Birdlife Malta disseminates social exclusion and stigma of the local hunting/ trapping community. So long for the EU boast of social inclusions and cultural diversities!

Thanks Birdlife Malta, such a waste of funds for such a highly "informative" and spiteful billboard!!!! Is this the way forward in education?

Chris Galea (on 4/2/09)

It's unbelievable !! I clearly remeber Joe Borg on xarabank arguing with Lino Farrugia ( FKNK ) that trapping wil be allowed after 2008 !!!!!

Mark Degiorgio (on 4/2/09)

Mr Spiteri, this way tax payer's money is used to safeguard the environment and wildlife for ALL the Maltese to enjoy, as opposed to a minority of hunters happy to keep a wild animal in a tiny cage.
So which befefits ALL the Maltese...
Remember, noone is stopping hunters from going for walks in the countryside to enjoy the fresh air.

Andrew Gatt (on 4/2/09)

@ Franco Farrugia and J Borg...............the usual banal, vitriolic, incorrect and extremist statements. No surprise there! I am simply AMAZED at your intolerance, venom and blanket accusations. Ghandkhom biex tiftahru, hej. Always ready to fan the flames of hatred! Well done! Very constructive.

d. borg (on 4/2/09)

These hunters are always playing martyrs. What about the sacrificing of the rest of the Maltese people who cannot stand the cruelty of shooting birds? We also have a right to enjoy our countryside and nature. I sincerely hope the govt. does not pass on any of our taxes to FKNK

J Farrugia (on 4/2/09)

Why worry about the hunters vicious attacks? Everybody knows that the FKNK and its thousands of supporters are pro labour and against the Government. In every statement they make. Only vitriolic attacks against the Government, even when the Pn was in Opposition. They attacked the PN because they are labour sympathisers. So let them shout their lies as much as they like. I only pity that tiny minority which are really professional hunters, but their numbers are fast diminishing. So not much to worry about. In all my life I have never seen FKNK attacking the Labour party.

S Gouder (on 4/2/09)

"Cruelly sacrificed an integral part of the lives of thousands of Maltese hunters and trappers"?!? You'd think the government just made hunters redundant of their jobs and left their families hungry! I wonder if the FKNK realizes that the vast majority of the Maltese is agianst hunting and trapping, because first of all this "socio-cultural activity" (sic!) destroys birds, denying the Maltese people from enjoying nature as it should be, and because this minotity tends to invade the little countryside we have left, and barring us from fields and areas which we can enjoy with our families. Not to mention the noise and lead pollution it causes.

The government represents the Maltese people and therefore has the right to invest in such a campaign.

Franco Farrugia (on 4/2/09)

Cruelty is killing birds; not the cruelty of stopping hunters and trappers from killing and putting birds into captivity.

Alex Spiteri (on 4/2/09)

tax-payers money should only be used for issues that effect all people and not only to a bunch of so-called environmentalists. Yes, the FKNK are absolutely right in their protest!

J. Borg (on 4/2/09)

Funds "due" to hunters!!

So, hunters are not only
- appropriating of the PUBLIC countryside,
- "allowing" us the priviledge to visit their self-proclaimed fiefdoms only on PM,
- shooting birds they do NOT own,
- sowing LEAD in farmers' fields and into our stomachs,
- not to mention they way they greet anyone who dares contradict them or pointing at their abuses & vile acts.
- taking up precious police resources
- risking inducing hefty fines on all of us, because Govt. is reluctant to own up for its unilateral declarations.

Now that I know that part of the taxes I pay are diverted to FKNK coffers, I be more than happy to readjust my tax declarations, and subsequently direct my tax savings to just causes!

They are also receiving funds

UPDATED: Hunters hit out at government involvement in BirdLife campaign

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