More rational investigation is required (1)

Candidus II chose to comment (May 14) on the Committee Against Bird Slaughter’s drone that was flown over all and sundry and also about BirdLife Malta’s reported illegalities during the spring hunting season.

CABS and BirdLife have one thing in common... to put an end to Malta’s right to apply a derogation...- Ray Zammit, San Pawl tat-Tarġa

Having no police or Transport Malta permits, as stated by the Prime Minister, confirms the use of this drone as being illegal. As for harassment, an official investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner and the police is ongoing and, unlike the case of the “find” of hundreds of bird carcasses at Miżieb, I do hope that these investigations are concluded within our lifetime.

What Candidius might also wish to comment about, considering the lack of police permits, is that the German RTL documentary showing footage taken by the illegal drone shows police officers accompanying the operators and a police inspector wearing the operator’s goggles. Also, as for breaching data protection rights, a comment quoting CABS official Axel Hirschfeld stating the drone is ideal “especially where private property is concerned” would be most useful for whoever is conducting investigations.

As for the 730 illegalities recorded, which he states BirdLife “insist” upon, I would like to draw his attention to BirdLife’s reporting each shot as an illegality and to the number of shots in their reports accounting for the majority of illegalities they “recorded”. According to BirdLife Malta, a person illegally firing five shots in succession is recorded as five illegalities while anyone else not interested in inflating numbers would consider this as one illegal act.

CABS and BirdLife Malta have one thing in common, they both publicly declare wanting to put an end to Malta’s right to apply a derogation for spring hunting made possible following a European Court judgement. Both resort to deceit and have no qualms about dragging Malta’s reputation in the mire to achieve their aim.

CABS are supposedly undergiong a serious investigation. BirdLife Malta, as usual, have been left up to their own devices to report on what they “insist” is correct. Whether their reports are judged to be illegal or proven to be totally manipulated and exagerrated, both have reached their intended national and international audiences. Both will be presented to the European Commission as proof of rampant abuse and as evidence to disprove the “strict control” necessary for derogation.

If indeed abuse were so rampant, would CABS have to resort to footage covering 13 years of monitoring to produce a 20-minute documentary that depicts this spring season as a scandal? Are 730 illegalities, that anyone with common sense would consider as manipulation of fact, proof to label 6,000 spring-licensed hunters as not having respected the law? Considering that the governmet has adopted a policy of only monitoring hunting, hunters are left to the mercy of Europe’s decision-makers thanks to uncontrolled protectionist’s abuse. While hunters pay for a police officer to monitor every 100 hunters and wear an armband visible for miles, protectionists are given the liberty to roam our countryside, report as they please and feature police cooperation as part of their propaganda even when using illicit means.

Candidus, that rightfully never fails to criticise injustices and shortcomings, might wish to take up the matter more rationally.