Hunters prepared to pay for police escort to verify BirdLife claims
The St Hubert Hunters' Association reiterated today that it is prepared to pay for police escorts for BirdLife birdwatchers monitoring spring hunting, saying that this would facilitate the verification of claims made by the NGO.
Reacting to claims made by Birdlife Malta yesterday about the killing of protected birds, hunters hunting illegally and of a case of aggression, the association recalled that it had proposed to the government and the police that policemen should accompany any Birdlife Malta or CABS teams, and that it was prepared to pay for this police presence.
"Contrary to Birdlife allegations, the testimony of our field observers tallies with the very few incidents reported by the police and confirms strict adherence of regulations," the association said.
It added that the much publicized BirdLife reports, most of which, it said, were pure speculation, ultimately jeopardized the 'strict supervision' test required as part of the spring hunting derogation.
"We are aware of our obligations towards ensuring strict control of derogation and have through the fees collected from our spring hunting license contributed €280,500 towards better enforcement. Ultimately as stated by Birdlife Malta, a report of their findings will be sent to the European Commission being part of the third parties accepted by the Commission to oversee derogation. We too are third parties that will be reporting our observations with a marked difference that all our actions, unlike those of Birdlife Malta, are reflected in the results of a substantial police presence dedicated to oversee strict observance"
The association insisted that all reports presented by Birdlife Malta should be either officially denied or witnessed by a police officer.
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MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 20th 2011, 13:15
Peter Agius
I leave anything related to crap in your good hands
Mr Peter Agius
Apr 20th 2011, 08:53
We do not need BLM to tell us about the rampant illegal hunting. We have eyes to see and ears to hear.
So please St.Huberts and FKNK, just cut the crap.
Mr Stephen Baldacchino
Apr 21st 2011, 08:24
Mr. Peter Agius,
Can you please tell me how a turtel dove flies differently from a normal pigeon???????........well if you don't know means that you have eyes to see and ears to hear but cant distuinguish a crap, so how can you say that a person is shooting illegally ????????
Good day
A.f Ellul
Apr 19th 2011, 20:03
The hunting season has started and many laws and payment for just a hobby. Paying the policemen from my own money to protect the birds and not me. The Maltese citizens paying tax so that the police protect the civilians, but instead, we fill all the roads with calling these objects “Sleeping Police “and no policeman found make his duty. I suggest that a sleeping police will be put where the shooter is, and the problem will be solved. Means, police are not in risk and shooters are in their liberty. Like as we are in the streets and roads. Everyone is independent driving as he likes.
Ms Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 19th 2011, 19:39
Charlie Borg, with BLM's track-record, one must really be a "miskin" to believe them!
Edward Camilleri, you invariably comment just for the sake of posting a comment! Yes, dear, the hunters have paid for police to monitor them. I assure you that the Maltese Police are doing their job perfectly well. Meanwhile, if BLM have nothing to hide, they should accept Police escort!
Mr Peter Agius
Apr 20th 2011, 08:59
The Maltese Police are doing their job perfectly well....
Yes like the one in Gozo who was caught hunting out-of-season wearing a balaclava.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 19th 2011, 17:23
Edward Camilleri.
I honestly wonder whether you can read. The police paid for by hunters to accompany hunters are 7 police for every 1000 hunters, this excludes all district police and the ALE who all in their line of duty are on the lookout for hunting illegalities.
As for Birdlife, no police, no extra expenses just the freedom to report whatever their conniving mind can think of. Have you heard they want to stop spring hunting? Considering illegalities are few what better way than to criticize hunters, the police and Government and invent nonsense your sort believe.
If they were honest what stops them from accepting police presence? They would be more credible and if they do witness an illegality what more could they ask for than having police present to apprehend the culprit?
Clearly its not in their interest to have the truth verified.
Andrew Gatt
Apr 19th 2011, 19:17
So do you want Police presence with Birdlife and those other nosey-parkers from Germany or don't you?
This offer has been refused before.......most sensationally in the year the above-captioned decamped en masse to the place they next want to grab..Mizieb, with foreign camera crews and provocative signs and all. We were then regaled with an absolute barrage of negative publicity and blanket accusations, and to date not one arrest.
Now we have a legal season of 2 WEEKS, (previously 2 WHOLE MONTHS), till 3.00pm, Sundays and public holidays excluded, Saturdays till 12.00am, extra officials, paperwork and procedures galore, armbands, the works. Yet you still moan away, repeating the same inanities and blanket insults. No, actually, let me guess. You want it ALL.
I just hope that the general public realises who is absolutely unwilling to compromise. Sure as heck it ain't us. We've had enforcement tightened, seasons shortened, expenses increased, ridiculous bag limits......what have you, Birdlife and CABS done except stick to your rigid and abolitionist extremes?
Mr Edward Camilleri
Apr 19th 2011, 19:41
And do you honestly believe that 7 police officers for every 1000 hunters is going to stop illegal hunting? Illegal hunting in Malta is done in front of everyone and nothing is done. I myself heard 3 gunshots near Zebbiegh last Sunday, just outside the village and many others in Gozo before the spring hunting season even opened. Even if you put a police officer in every square metre of the island there will still be illegal hunting in Malta!
And why should the police monitor Birdlife, as if Birdlife is shooting down the protected birds? If you can't fathom the situation then do not blame Birdlife or CABS. They are here to make us a favour and one day when you grow a little older you will understand what I'm saying.
Charlie Borg
Apr 20th 2011, 09:31
I think it is the hunters who do not want 'truth' verified. You talk about police presence, but haven't you heard about police officers being arraigned in front of the courts for being at one with the hunters? Enough said. And what about police officers who themselves are hunters?
BirdLife is to be commended for its sterling work. Its commitment in favour of the natural environment, the little that is left in Malta and Gozo, is appreciated by those who have brains that they use.
Mr J. Borg
Apr 19th 2011, 17:08
All things being equal police presence with BLM watch would be welcome.
However two issues come to mind...
Firstly, recently a police officer was prosecuted for having tipped hunters about the locations of such watches - thus as hunters claim there are poachers amongst them thus we have to accept there are criminals in the police force.
Secondly, and this is of more long term concern, it is not the onus of BLM or CABS for that matter to ensure that hunting illegalities do not occur. These NGOs simply try to expose the hollow proclamations uttered by spineless politicians and hunting federations - by bringing raw footage of the dark deeds that accompanies whenever one lets some thugs loose in the countryside carrying shotguns.
Anything that deters shooting of protected birds is welcome - however this does not entail that the rest of the population has to sacrifice more days wherein the countryside remains the fiefdom of hunters.
Charlie Borg
Apr 19th 2011, 18:01
That's exactly my point. Thank you.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Apr 19th 2011, 18:40
Mr Borg, remember the Marsh Harrier downloaded by birdlife member which they claimed it was shot by hunters? enough said. They should expose their accounts to see where the funds are going because these are paid by the tax payer.
Mr Edward Camilleri
Apr 19th 2011, 15:47
It would be best for the St Hubert Hunters' Association & everyone if the St Hubert Hunters' Association pays for police escort to accompany hunters. This way any abuse can be tackled at source!
Mr joseph lia
Apr 19th 2011, 16:50
That's what they did Mr Camilleri, 280,000 of it, they are 'tagged' with bright orange armbands and monitored from dawn til the 3pm legal cut-off time, these are the legal ones (5,800 of them), rest assured they are being police-escorted. The few allegations and even fewer still illegalities are the work of mindless poachers, who stop at nothing to get at their quarry, legal open season or not.
FKNK had warned that strict control and eradication of illegalities is no mean feat but suffice to say the police are doing a fantastic job. I even have personal accounts of legal hunters standing guard when a protected bird was observed so that their, now legally recognised passion, is not jeoperdized by some moron.
Mr Anthony Formosa
Apr 19th 2011, 17:42
Mr Camilleri, I guess you have the same problem as BLM, can't you read? More than a quater of a million euros for police enforcement isn't that enough? With the funds that BLM receives I'm sure they can also afford some protection, where are the guards they hired last year to enter Mizieb?
Mr Carmelo Azzopardi
Apr 19th 2011, 15:34
Dear Mr Borg you can judge by yourself whom and what to believe, few days ago a report on this same newspaper written by BLM stated that 42 harriers were seen rousting in Salini and Burmarrad fields at sunset. They also stated that in the dark shots all over the area were heard and the police were called but no one was caught. The morning after only 2 harriers were seen leaving the fields so according to the BLM mathematical experts 40 birds were shot. According to a story we used to be told when we were much younger, If you shoot and kill one out of ten birds sitting on a electric cable how much remain on the cable? nill is the correct answer because the rest will fly away unless you are a BLM member and your counting is different from the rest of the word. The harriers flew away dear sir.
Mr Emanuel Portelli
Apr 19th 2011, 15:20
@charles borg
quote ''Are they trying to make us believe that what BirdLife is saying is a total lie? ''
Birdlife used to say that Spring Hunting in Malta can never be practiced again......they even taged it illeagal........was that not also a lie??
I let TOM readers to judge.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 19th 2011, 15:17
Charlie Borg
With comments like yours who needs publicity.
No wonder Birdlife do not accept police to verify facts. If Charlie Borg believes them why bother he doesn't trust police either.
As for insults to the peoples intelligence, keep your comments coming
Charlie Borg
Apr 19th 2011, 14:55
And another matter: can the Police be trusted with giving a true picture of the reality? What with recent Court cases against Police officers as well as the very recent change-of-mind by the Police with giving shotguns and wares back to the hunters, what can one expect from the Police on such matters?
Charlie Borg
Apr 19th 2011, 14:53
What do they mean by this? Are they trying to make us believe that what BirdLife is saying is a total lie? That it is untrue that a protected bird dropped dead, shot down, at their feet? And given to the Police? Does the Federation or San Ubertu think that we are so ignorant as to believe THEM against what BirdLife is saying?
The last sentence is an absolute insult to the intelligence of the greater part of Maltese society. The association claims that BirdLife are not to be believed. So, who is to be believed? The hunters? Sure!
Teddy Cilia
Apr 19th 2011, 14:36
I am not a pro-hunting supporter but I would say I tend to sympathise with the anti-hunting lobby. On the other hand, we are all aware that zealous members on eihter side very often fall prey to their enthusiasm and exaggerate their claims to prop up their cause.
I think the suggestion made by this group of hunters is more than reasonable and it should be earnestly supported by Birdlife.
Mr paul fava
Apr 19th 2011, 14:02
Can we be more genuine than that ?!
Mr frank grech
Apr 19th 2011, 14:01
'' We are aware of our obligations toward ensuring strict control of derogation......''
YEAH RIGHT! It is like having the Taliban guarding the Vatican!!!!!