The highly biased article by Mark Anthony Falzon, ‘Hunting suspension, bad politics’ (The Sunday Times of Malta, October 12) needs to be considered by the authorities, or better still by both Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil. As chairman of the Ornis Committee, Mr Falzon should have remained neutral.

First of all Falzon has mixed legal with licit. The fact that hunters have lobbied to be allowed to have a free hand does not mean that their activity is by any means a licit pastime.

For two long periods during each year they take over all our islands and the surrounding seas to blast away any flying species.

There are no respite days, no period when birds could safely seek rest during their long journeys.

The government did not tamper with their barbaric activity. The hunters have never taken any initiative to weed out the bullies or the criminals who break the law. It is first and foremost in the hunters’ interest to eliminate those individuals. Falzon has gone even further in objecting to the enforcement through tough penalties, including prison.

His claim about the crushing human and social costs of imprisonment is out of context. The bullies chose of their free will to kill protected birds. What does Falzon expect, a medal of honour? In my opinion the punishment should be harsh.

Falzon seems to be against anyone objecting to indiscriminate hunting. And this person is supposed to be an unbiased and independent chairman. It is not the bird watchers who stopped seeing reason. The absolute majority are against hunting. Our politicians should wake up to reality and ration the hunting days so as to give time for bird watching and a sporting chance to the birds to survive.

I suggest that only alternate days be allowed for hunting.

For the hunters, ‘sports’ means the killing of birds. Finally, I feel that Falzon should have the decency to resign from the Ornis Committee, alternatively, the government and the Opposition should insist that his position has become untenable.

I earnestly hope that our politicians carry their responsibilities and do not favour one lobby against another.