(Adds Government statement)
The Wild Bird Regulations Unit’s (WBRU) proposal for a derogation to allow trapping of song thrush and golden plover this autumn was described by Birdlife Malta as “an inside job by the FKNK”.
During a meeting of the Ornis committee today, Birdlife Malta’s conservation manager Nicholas Barbara raised the organisation’s objection to the committee’s chairman over the presentation of the proposal by former FKNK council member, Joseph Lia, in his capacity as “special initiatives officer” of the unit.
Mr Lia, who until recently was listed as council member for “live-bird trapping” on the FKNK’s website, co-authored an FKNK proposal for the trapping of finches in autumn, which was also on today’s agenda, Birdlife said.
Describing Mr Lia’s position as being, “too compromised to be credible,” Mr Barbara said: “to call this a mere conflict of interest does not do justice to the seriousness of the compromised impartiality of the WBRU. It seems that the pre-election deal negotiated by the FKNK has given them their own governmental body with which to implement their proposals on hunting and trapping”.
Birdlife Malta’s representatives on the Ornis Committee withdrew from the meeting after presenting their concerns, refusing to be party to discussions about the proposals, tabled by the unit and FKNK, respectively.
Birdlife had already criticised the political appointment of staff to the new unit, which has been formed as a “one-stop-shop” on hunting and trapping issues, questioning the secondment of the unit’s acting head, Sergei Golovkin, along with that of Mr Lia and former Labour MP and adviser on hunting and trapping, Bertu Pace.
GOVERNMENT DEPLORES BIRDLIFE'S 'UNETHICAL AND DISCRIMINATORY STAND'
In a statement, the Government said Birdlife's claim was incorrect since the proposal for the potential application of a live-capturing derogation was made by the FKNK and not the Government.
It said that at today’s Ornis Committee meeting, the Government, through the WBRU presented a technical assessment of the proposal for consideration by the committee.
"The aim of the technical assessment is to provide objective analysis of the outcome of the 2012 derogation, as well as to provide an overview of the scientific, legal and technical considerations in order to inform discussion at the Committee. This was the practice adopted in the past, prior to the application of similar derogations every year since 2007."
The Government said the analysis was prepared by the unit's technical staff with input from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the police.
"Unfortunately Birdlife (Malta) has chosen to walk out of the committee meeting on the grounds of objecting to the presence of one of the unit’s employees who was, prior to his secondment with the unit, a member of FKNK Council.
"For the sake of clarification, it should be noted that Joseph Lia, who has been seconded with the unit from the Ministry of Health has now resigned his role within the FKNK’s Council and there is no conflict of interest arising out of his role within the new unit."
The Government deplored "the unethical and discriminatory stand" adopted by Birdlife, which, it said, chose to discriminate against a public sector employee on the grounds of his legitimate past affiliation with a voluntary organisation.
Public sector engagements, the Government said, were not made on the basis of one’s affiliation with any voluntary organisation.
"Appointing, or precluding from appointing any public sector employee within any public sector role on the basis of affiliation with a voluntary organisation would be unconstitutional, since our Constitution guarantees citizens’ freedom of association.
"Indeed the chairman of the Ornis Committee has considered Birdlife (Malta)’s objection, but has ruled that it would be unconstitutional to reject consideration of the technical and scientific assessment on the grounds of the presence of a technical employee who has previously been affiliated with a voluntary organisation."
The Government said that thousands of government employees were members of legitimate NGOs, as was their right, and some government employees were seconded to assist various NGOs, including Birdlife (Malta).