Putting EU standards into hunting regulations

A news item on regulating bouncers (June 25) stated, among other things, that "notwithstanding years of discussion, the security aspect in bars and clubs remains unregulated".

The same may be said about bird-shooting. Believe it or not, in Malta there are no regulations governing hunting. There exist only regulations for the protection of birds, which include hunting regulations just as much as they exclude them.

The above, together with corresponding recommendations to remedy the problem, was pointed out to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on June 16, 2008 at a meeting we had with him. Over a year has passed and still there is no attempt to address this lacuna. One of the reasons is that there are people with a vested interest to keep the status quo.

One recommendation was for the Ornis Committee to be replaced by a Hunting Advisory Unit within the Ministry for the Environment. The members of the Ornis Committee receive a payment of €23.30 per hour of each sitting.

It is physically impossible for the committee to carry out in full all its functions as outlined, apart from the fact that its members are not qualified to do so. Going by its performance in the past, the OC serves two functions admirably, namely, as a smokescreen for the minister concerned, and as a scapegoat when things go wrong!

Mepa is supposed to be in charge! But there is not a single Mepa official who is knowledgeable about hunting matters. The fact is that the EU Birds Directive has become the bible of bird-protection, and the Maltese regulations for bird protection have been superseded by it.

These facts are overlooked, and time and money are being wasted in the pursuit of hot air! The uselessness of Mepa and the OC is evident when one considers the recent repetitive arrogance with which Birdlife Malta keep putting pressure on the Prime Minister for the creation of a wildlife crimes unit. One does not hear a word from Mepa on this. The OC is also conspicuous through its silence. It was the Prime Minister's office that dryly announced he does not see the need for such a unit.

In the meantime, Birdlife keeps purposely blowing out of proportion sporadic cases of illegal hunting. Again, both the Mepa and the Ornis Committee are silent. It is always the FKNK and the KSU that try to put the picture in its true perspective.

The foreigners Birdlife employs have to justify the salaries they are getting, and in this particular sphere it is essential for them to get as much publicity as possible. In the coming months, therefore, expect more of the same from Birdlife. But do not expect reactions from Mepa and the Ornis committee.

It is high time the government gives the matter serious consideration. Only then will it be possible to put a real halt to illegalities and to Birdlife's nauseating habit of inflating them.