AD slams hunting decision, blames main parties

V. Xerri

Mar 5th 2010, 05:00

Are chickens regarded as birds?
Can anyone tell me how many are killed and consumed yearly?

Johnny Xerri

Mar 4th 2010, 21:54

@ Angelo Xerri,

What a shame, you don't allow me to have soup made with birds nests.

Only last spring when the season was closed I happened to be roaming the countryside with the dogs, I came across numerous nests. At one time I nearly tripped in one, grasping to a tree branch I knocked another and whilst gaining my balance I happened to be knocked over by my dog wagging his tail retreiving a bird's nest.

Are you aware that the seson will open in April, when the most common birds of prey are not present. Harriers and kestrels mostly migrate in spring and honey buzzards mostly migrate in May and early June. Do you think that the dates were chosen in a way to capture the turtle dove migration and as much as possible close the window for illegalities by eliminating March and May??

As for the nests, birds display courting behaviour in March & April but do not breed until June.

Some kind of ornitologists the antis are!!!

Angelo Xerri

Mar 4th 2010, 20:52

According to the newspapers there is 17000 hunters in the Maltese Islands. Bag limits for turtle dove is 22,298, for quail is 10,837. This works out to be less than two birds per hunter. Now what Government or any hunters' federation in their right mind would want to open a spring hunting season just for a laughable bag limit of this kind. Now who is going to record the daily bag limits of each hunter? Maybe each hunter should take his daily bag to his Federation were it could be counted, and at the end of the season have a party, and all hunters have each a bowl of soup. The hunting federations have to make sure that not to add any protected birds that are shot or any birds from nests that the dogs destroy during the open season in the soup. Please dont' make the World laugh at us anymore and that means you the government on both side, and the hunters that call themselfs environmentalists.

E. Azzopardi

Mar 4th 2010, 20:07

This is a farce. How can the government control how many birds are shot as it is being suggested? We can't control our finances which are under our control how can we control something out of control???
If, as it is being said, the spring hunting is opened again and we make a mess out of it and we are heavily fined, then who will be paying the fines? Can we make this clear beforehand and say that this will be divided equally amongst all hunters, please?

J.Gatt

Mar 4th 2010, 19:58

pffff always fuunyy things from AD. with this now one can vot you the next electtion so no gain of vots. BDW read the EJC verdict before talk!!!

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Mar 4th 2010, 19:54

Dr Dr Dr Dr Chris Finch, do you consider yourself more legally knowledgeable than the ECJ, the European Commission, the Attorney General and other lawyers?! You have been harping on for much too long! Try swallowing the sour pill with a gallon of water! The Maltese hunters will be enjoying their Spring Hunting Season within the parameters of the law, whether you like it or not!

Mr Alex Ellul, "May we, live-bird lovers, have spring for us (a very short period) and the hunters have the September-January period for them?" Are you serious?! Why not enjoy the Ghadira Nature Reserve - OBVIOUSLY SUNDAYS ONLY!

J Borg, if you do what you wrote, you will be breaking the law - similar to poachers!

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Mar 4th 2010, 19:31

So now we have AD using scaremongering tactics!! Dr Arnold Cassola how can you persist in saying that Spring Hunting is illegal? Even the European Commission itself has confirmed that this is possible! How can you accuse JAM, SB and the leaders of the two major parties that they have given "hunters the illusion that hunting in Spring is compatible with EU directives"? This is not an illusion. The Maltese Government may use the tools provided by the ECJ ruling for the opening of the Spring Hunting Season in a legal manner.

Sirs, after reading this report I can fully understand why your party lacks people support. Believe me, I do not want to sound insultive BUT please, facts are facts!

A.Vella

Mar 4th 2010, 19:22

@Mr/Ms N.Calleja

"Why can't these AD experts shut their trap"

Irrispective of the argument in question and your cultural upbringing. It is rather lewd to express yourself in such a way to people you don't know in the same way you do so at home with people I am sure you respect and value very much if spoken to in that way.

M.G. Farrugia

Mar 4th 2010, 19:06

Dan l-ahhar jidher li l-P.L. u l-A.D. gew qrib hafna xulxin u xi kultant indirettament qed juzaw il-frazi hokli dari halli inkokk tieghek. F'dan il-kaz il-labour Party se joqghod kwiet jew inkella se jghid kif jahsibha bħala parti dwar l-istagun tal-kacca. Kif jahsbuwa diversi individwi personalment diga nafu.

J Martinelli

Mar 4th 2010, 18:37

@ Cassola & Briguglio

I am no hunter and don't particularly enjoy the sight of a bird falling from the sky but what makes a bird more valuable than a chicken, a rabbit, a cow, etc.? If we totally ban hunting, then we should all become vegetarians because the meat we consume comes from animals upon which we impose an automatic death sentence , the moment they are born! At least, odds are that despite hunting, most birds get to live out their natural life. It is indiscriminate and illegal hunting which bothers me a lot, but it seems that regulations are gradually being observed and enforced.

Where have you been pre-2004? Did you have any concerns then?

Remind me to send you a rattler (cekcieka) for Christmas.

W.Spiteri

Mar 4th 2010, 17:31

N.Calleja....Is killing defenceless animals, a HOBBY?, are you not an animal youself?, as we all are......Get a life!!!

Chris Galea

Mar 4th 2010, 16:48

AD shish.................... your party is,was and will be insignificant...........Dr Gonzi knows what he's doing so please shut up !!

N.Calleja

Mar 4th 2010, 16:46

Why can't these AD experts shut their trap. I'm certainly not a hunter but after the ECJ ruling the hunters have all the right to enjoy their hobby as all the other Europeans. As many others said the AD is an extinct group!

J. Borg

Mar 4th 2010, 16:13

the PN and PL do not give any hoots about the interest of the general public and the right to enjoy the countryside in a safe environment.
The cronic problem we have been lumped with is that voters have been compelled by the same PNPL duopoly to vote against a government that they do not want, rather than a government/coalition that would start taking decisions in our long-term interest.
I for one will NOT pay any taxes - but donate the equivalent sum to a charitable institution and send the receipt to Inland Revenue c.c. OPM - because if these politicians have the cheek to blatantly mess this up - then one can only wonder about the magnitude of what is being swept under carpets!

Henry Fenech Azzopardi

Mar 4th 2010, 16:12

Dear Mr Bruglio,

Everybody has a right for his opinion. If you still consider Spring Hunting illegal just wear the T shirt and join us in the country. Democracy is part and parcel of your party so live it please and let live.

M. Cardona

Mar 4th 2010, 15:48

@ r sammut

whoever said AD was patriotic? AD is simply anti-everything blu/red and all the colours of the spectrum including green if their (AD) agenda so necessitates. No wonder and quite thankfully you never have and hopefully never will elect anyone to parliament, at least the Maltese one and by Maltese votes! Patria...whatever!

p abela

Mar 4th 2010, 15:22

@ all anti-hunting: "Fl-ahhar is sewwa dejjem rebah!" Mr Cassola kindly translate to your friend Mr Temug! .... More comments are superfluous and hope the subject is closed once and for all.

pva

r sammut

Mar 4th 2010, 15:14

Your doom and gloom about the Malta derogation! When considering the hundreds of derogation applied by the rest of the members of the European Union, this derogation falls pretty much to insignificance. Ay yes this pathetic patriotic sense of AD, no wonder their dwindling popularity at elections!

Antoine Grima

Mar 4th 2010, 15:14

Chris Finch YOU ARE WRONG .Malta was found guilty of not applying properly a derogation and not that because Malta allowed spring hunting .Stop twisting things round .The FKNK , the government , the ECJ and the Ornis Com. know it , you are the only ones who do not want to listen . If there is going to be a spring hunting season , it is obvious who got it right and who got it wrong

Chris Finch

Mar 4th 2010, 14:57

Joe,

At no time did the ECJ say that hunting in spring was legal. You like many of your fellow hunters have been conned by the hunting leaders.

The fact of the matter is the ECJ ruled against Malta for opening the hunting season between 2004 -2007.

This time there will be fines. Are the hunters prepared to pay for their sins?

Alex Ellul

Mar 4th 2010, 14:56

Now we will get the usual massacre of protected birds, the usual outcry, the call for closing the season as soon as the first protected birds are found injured or dead, the usual head-buried-in-sand by the authorities, the usual hunters blaming Birdlife, the usual condemnations from other countries and foriegn individuals and the usual treat of ' we will not visit Malta..." and the usual ect etc. And the birds will keep on being decimated.
Another thing: May we, live-bird lovers, have spring for us (a very short period) and the hunters have the September-January period for them? I think it is more than justified.

Antoine Grima

Mar 4th 2010, 14:52

AD should not act surprised . They knew that Spring hunting was possible , they just pretended it was'nt. If they honestly did not know , well then , that is proof of how useless they are when it comes to politics

Andrew Gatt

Mar 4th 2010, 14:50

What politicians are you talking about, AD? Ohhhh right......now I remember..........the ones who were DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED to Parliament and the EU. None of them on AD's ticket, as it happens.

You, on the other hand, in spite of all your hot air and threats about fines, doom, gloom and apocalypse, AGAIN disappeared without a trace in the polls, as did the other anti-hunting candidates.

And don't start again with your rubbish about EU directives and penalties. Other EU member states apply hundreds and hundreds of derogations EACH YEAR. We will be applying JUST 2, and this foillowing an ECJ Court Judgement. Or do you have no respect for the laws of the EU you trumpet so much about?

You sure have a hugely inflated sense of your own influence and importance! Paroli fil-vojt u paroli bla sens..........bhas-soltu.

Joe Camilleri

Mar 4th 2010, 14:48

Unbelivable !!!

So according to AD, the Government, the Ornis comitee, the FKNK and the European Court of Justice are all breaking the law because AD says that spring hunting is illegal.

No wonder after all these years you do not have a member of parliament and had your greatest FLOP in the last EU elections.

CU this spring, LEGALLY HUNTING like other EU member states.

laurence schembri

Mar 4th 2010, 14:39

Michael, I said this before, they haven`t got the guts.

G.Debono

Mar 4th 2010, 14:35

...and the chances are that WE ARE going to end up be fined, but it seems that for Gonzi/Muscat money is no problem.

Anthony Roberts

Mar 4th 2010, 14:04

The way things are going in this country, what can anyone expect. If there is no respect for us Maltese citizens regarding the tariffs how can there be any respect for the innocent lives of new born birds.