The leaders of both political parties have declared their personal intentions with regard to the spring hunting referendum but are leaving their party members free to vote as their true feelings dictate and not as directed by the party.

Therefore, it is very likely that there will be members of both parties who will vote either way. All voting slips are anonymous – none will know how you voted, including party members. So, however you vote, it will not affect any party. You will show no disloyalty to either party whether you vote Yes or No.

So let us follow their example and forget politics for the moment. Follow your own heart, listen to your own conscience and come to your own personal not political decision: is it ‘yes’ for the old system to continue or ‘no’?

Life or death for the birds rests with you. Yes means life will end for thousands of birds, many of them in agony from wounds or starvation because they cannot search for food, and the young chicks will die because the parents are killed.

No means life. Let us say No and give them (and their young) the chance to ‘life’ we ourselves enjoy and let the rest of the world applaud Malta instead of castigating us as ‘the bird killing capital of Europe’.

To the birds it is not politics, it is not power, money, privilege or status. Lives are not given by the creator to use as currency to buy votes.

For the birds it is life or death and our vote is the judge. This is the one and only time we are not sitting helpless in the gallery waiting for the verdict.

We are giving the verdict, we are the judge and jury. Pronounce them ‘innocent’ for that is what they are – vote No.