Did you know that the Government wants to hear from you? I’m guessing not, and I don’t blame you.

A few weeks ago The Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights launched a public consultation document asking the public its opinion on the use of animals in circuses.

I’m assuming that you don’t know about it because even though I’ve been heavily active in this area, I only got to know by chance.

From where I stand, there’s been very little said and very little effort to publicize it.

The consultation is in the form of an online questionnaire, and theoretically it looks like a good initiative, but boy does it reek of half-heartedness.

Not only has it not been advertised at all, but there’s a mistake in the English version of the questionnaire (question 2.5), which makes the question not only grammatically incorrect but, also incoherent, and which the Secretariat refuses to change.

The question reads:

2.5. What benefits, if any, will be derived by introducing a ban on animals in circuses? (please select an answer by ticking one box below)

Yes

No

It is then followed by empty space asking you to elaborate on your answer.

When I saw the mistake which I’m assuming is obvious to all of my readers, I immediately contacted the man himself – none other than Roderick Galdes.

Hats off to him for getting back to me just hours later, assuring me that he was going to get his communications team on it.

A day later I got a call from the so called team, but only to tell me that I was nit-picking and that ‘u iva, tinftihem xorta ta Miss he.’

The guy went on to tell me that whether that sentence is grammatically incorrect or not, is just a matter of opinion.

And that’s when I had to hang up to tend to an oncoming angina attack.

Grammar is not a matter of opinion.

Grammar exists independently of your half-arsed knowledge of the English language.

Grammar just is.

Period.

Two weeks later, question 2.5 is still as it was - grammatically wrong and incoherent.

Please note that we’re talking about an online questionnaire, not a printed one, which means that changing it will take less than 3.4seconds flat!

But, as much as the Grammar Nazi in me hates these things, the point here is not really about a grammatical mistake, the point here is about usefulness, or rather lack of it.

The reasons and arguments against the use of animals in circuses have been made time and time again. They’re all over the internet, they’ve been published all over the local media, and the Secretariat is, or rather should be, already acquainted with them.

For all it’s worth, this is just a public show of openness, and grammatical sloppiness.

When it comes to safeguarding the rights of the vulnerable and helpless, the opinion of the majority should not matter.

Did the Government consult the public when it decided to protect children from abuse?

Did it consult the public when it made domestic violence, murder, kidnapping and theft illegal?

I don’t think so.

And if my grammatical advice was not taken on, how am I supposed to believe that my opinions on the matter will be?

The public consultation questionnaire can be found here: https://msdec.gov.mt/en/Pages/Consultation-on-Circus-Animals-in-Malta.aspx.

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