The decision to extend hunting and trapping hours within the Majjistral Park is obscene and a forewarning of things to come.  The decision is unjust because it is not one which gives equal weight (or indeed any consideration) to the interests of any lobby which is not the hunting lobby.

The defining characteristic of a nature reserve should be that of allowing and promoting the appreciation of nature, not of forcing visitors to witness the shooting of birds. Even if we had to work on the absurd and unreasonable hypothesis that this is an activity that is compatible with the aims of a nature reserve and park, you’d think that more weight would be given to the interests of those who want to preserve nature rather than do anything else.

The very fact that hunting and trapping have always been permitted within the park is already a compromise. Extending hunting and trapping hours in all parts of the park is not a compromise but the ousting of nature lovers who no longer have any place to enjoy peaceful recreational activities. This is as far from a reasonable and considerate decision as you can get.

There would be no park to speak of had the environmental lobby not resisted the call for the area to be turned into a water-sucking golf course

The ironic aspect of it all is that there would be no park to speak of had the environmental lobby not resisted the call for the area to be turned into a water-sucking golf course open only to private, paying interests. This shows that the environmental lobby had foreseen the need to safeguard open space as a benefit for the wider community.

At this point, with the large number of permits being given in ODZ areas, and the disappearance of green belts between towns, open space and green areas are seriously threatened. A robust legal mechanism for preserving open recreational space has to be found.

So Shakira uses a company in Malta to re-jig her tax liability. And so does Lewis Hamilton. Apparently U2’s Bono also used a company in Malta to buy a share in a Lithuanian supermarket. Naturally he used the Maltese vehicle to reduce his tax liability.

These are some of the revelations exposed in the Paradise Papers – leaks regarding so-called offshore havens.

These revelations have been interpreted by many to be a shameful indictment of Malta’s tax system. I’d be the first to agree that tax avoidance is as morally reprehensible as tax evasion and, yes, it is very clear that the system is an attractive option for persons wanting to divert huge amounts of money through the system – not your average wage earner.

And let’s stop beating about the bush – it is also quite evident that not all the people availing themselves of our tax benefits are legitimate bona fide millionaires who have made their millions while carrying out strictly legal activities.

The question remains: what do we do about it? Do we accept it as a natural form of tax competition between different countries with the attendant financial benefits for the industry which supports such a system? Or do we eschew it completely and try to source another form of income for the country?

Because, ultimately, it  boils down to a choice. It is hypocritical to moan about the deterioration of the moral fibre of a nation while at the same time participating in the benefits accrued from that deterioration.

drcbonello@gmail.com