Partit Demokratiku is seeking to know how the public consultation process regarding extended hunting hours at Majjistral Park will be handled.
The PN’s amendment to a PD motion calling for the reversal in extended hunting hours, calls for consultation with all stakeholders following a controversial decision which allowed hunters and trappers to use the park for extended periods of time.
There was a huge outcry when the hours in force for hunting and trapping were extended in September, October and November from 10am to 12.30pm, except for Wednesdays and public holidays, when the time remains 10am.
In December and January, the time limit would also remain unchanged at 10am. For trappers, the time was extended to 2.30pm for the whole of the open season.
Read: Extended hunting, trapping times at Majjistral Park
In a statement this morning, PD recommended that the Malta Tourism Authority, NGOs and the Education Department should be heavily involved, as they were all affected parties.
It admonished the PN’s decision to amend its motion, a move described by NGOs as an attempt to escape controversy, while in reality giving in to the hunting lobby, as hunting hours.
“It is a shame that government breached a public social partnership by unethically using its powers to issue a legal notice, against the advice of its own advisory committee and the ERA,” it said.
PD warned the public of the motivations behind the government’s extending the hunting hours now, when the agreement with Majjistral Park would have been up for renewal in 2018.
“The explanation can only be that the Labour Party is attempting to distract the general public from the countless ongoing scandals, while solidifying its support amongst the hunters, who the Nationalists are unlikely to impress with their lack of authenticity.”
It pointed out that the likely outcome of any round-table discussion would result in the Federation for Hunting and Conservation taking a place on the advisory board or in the management committee of park.
The excuse, it said, would because that at the moment, hunters who went to Majjistral Park were not controlled by registration.
The proposed discussions by government, it said, were a smokescreen for any changes the government might wish to push through regarding the management of the park, and the Nationalist Party had directly sanctioned and contributed to any further imbalances between hunters and the wellness of the public.
“As the third party in Parliament, the Partit Demokratiku shall continue to act as David facing Goliath in Parliament for the interests of the great many people who have been systematically ignored over the years, seeing their peace of mind and wellbeing traded selfishly away.
“The time has come to voice their many grievances in a Parliament which is no longer bi-partisan,” PD said.