I refer to the letter written by Henry Fenech Azzopardi regarding my insistence that Mark Anthony Falzon should resign his chairmanship of the Ornis committee (‘Spring hunting’, The Sunday Times of Malta, June 14).
It seems that Fenech Azzopardi too needs to undergo a short course in chairing meetings since he insists that according to him Falzon “should not be precluded from airing his personal belief to the public when it comes to criticism”.
It is important that a good chairman should never show any bias towards one person or group of people, as otherwise one side of the committee would lose their faith in him, as I believe is happening in the Ornis Committee.
On more than one occasion Falzon has defended hunters, thereby losing the idea of fairness in his chairmanship.
Fenech Azzopardi then goes on to compare the shooting of protected birds with car accidents. What has this got to do with infringements by hunters? On the other hand, I thank him for stating that I have much integrity.
However, he calls me undemocratic due to my insistence that in the light of the biggest joke since the dawn of this century, namely the spring hunting referendum, which was grossly politicised, I am calling for a ban on this disgusting sport in spring when birds are breeding.
Let me explain to Fenech Azzopardi what is undemocratic. It is undemocratic for 11,000 hunters to prevent 400,000 Maltese and over one million tourists from walking in the countryside safely during spring.
It is undemocratic to pollute the water table and affect our health with millions of pellets in our soil.
One in every four Maltese is being diagnosed with cancer. It is undemocratic for us hardworking people to have our sleep disturbed at 4am by gunfire.
Unlike most hunters, I and most Maltese go to work and pay taxes so that the police can monitor hunting and hunters’ pensions will be paid on time.
I am pleased that Fenech Azzopardi and I agree on one topic. Both of us are against the destruction of the environment and the building on virgin territory when there are so many empty homes that can be developed.
Again, I urge hunters to interact with birds like I am doing with this darling little turtle dove perched on my finger in the photo.
I think that enough has been said on this issue and I am democratically regarding this matter closed.