I refer to the letter by Maurice Mizzi (‘Spring hunting’, The Sunday Times of Malta, June 7). Mark Anthony Falzon as chairman of the Ornis Committee is committed to be fair and balanced in his approach towards committee members. However, this does not preclude him from airing his personal belief to the public when it comes to criticism.

The public has to be informed by the Ornis Committee with facts as presented to the same committee by the police with regard to infringements. Therefore Falzon, as chairman, is duty-bound to inform the public and endorse decisions taken by the Ornis Committee to recommend the opening of spring hunting.

The referendum, whether by a whisker or otherwise, gave the right to hunters to enjoy spring hunting, and incidents related to hunting are negligible when, for example, compared to everyday car accidents. Does this make our roads dangerous? This is an everyday issue and not 20 days in a year.

Referendums may be rare in Malta but the result has to be respected. Both political parties had spring hunting in their respective electoral manifestos and therefore it was an automatic choice to remind the electorate of what they voted for in the last election.

I expect that this referendum result will prevail and give the majority of the public (not just the 11,000 hunters) the right to enjoy their choice of the Yes vote. The Prime Minister will in time realise that a collective punishment is not acceptable and will think twice whether to close the season prematurely for the third time.

Mizzi’s wish for spring hunting to be abolished is anti-democratic and not expected from someone of such integrity. Finally, I would have thought that he would comment on the destruction of the environment by speculators, but chose not to do so.