The Local Governance Board yesterday dismissed complaints by the hunters’ federation (FKNK) that had been prompted by two councillors who expressed themselves in favour of abolishing spring hunting on the council’s Facebook page.

The board was asked by the FKNK to look into allegations that such behaviour was unethical and possibly illegal.

The complaint was filed last Saturday against Attard’s Nationalist deputy mayor Marco Spiteri and Alternattiva Demokratika councillor Ralph Cassar.

In an e-mail he sent to parliamentary secretary for economy José Herrera, the Department of Local Government, the Local Councils Association and the Attard local council, FKNK CEO Lino Farrugia said the federation had “to lodge a strong protest” over the Facebook comments.

But the board dismissed the FKNK’s arguments, saying that councillors had the duty as well as every right to express their views on issues currently on the country’s agenda.

Furthermore, it was also remarked that the electorate had every right to learn the views of its representatives, especially on issues of public interest, such as the April 11 spring hunting referendum.

As a result, it ruled there were no grounds which would justify accusations of a breach in the councillors’ code of ethics. The board also noted that it adopted the same stance taken in a recent case filed by a contractor against the Lija council.

The incident involved a councillor who had posted online the contents of a motion on the quality of service rendered by the aforementioned contractor.

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