Government meets BirdLife and FKNK to discuss effective law enforcement

Environment Minister Leo Brincat and parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes meet BirdLife Malta and FKNK representative to discuss law enforcement during spring hunting season.

27 March 2013, 12:00am
by Miriam Dalli

1 min read

Now that the official dates for this year's spring hunting season have been formally announced, the Labour government has held meeting with representatives of environment NGO BirdLife Malta and hunters' federation FKNK to discuss the enforcement of law between 10 April and 30 April.

In a statement issued through the DOI, the ministry for the environment said that the two NGOs expressed their ideas for "effective enforcement" of the laws without getting involved in the merits of their respective stands on hunting.

The meeting was held at Casa Leoni in Santa Venera, which houses the Ministry for Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change.

This week, parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes announced that spring hunting season will open on 10 April until 30 April. Hunters can hunt for 11,000 turtledoves and 5,000 quails while the €50 special licence fee has been waived off. Subsequently, hunters are no longer required to wear an armband.

Opposing the spring hunting season, BirdLife Malta accused the government of simply carrying out a political promise that goes against the spirit of strict supervision and selectivity required for the correct application of a derogation to the Birds Directive.

Meanwhile, MaltaToday has also reported that the European Commission has not yet been informed over the government's decision to open spring hunting season, even though it is supposed to do so at least two weeks before the season opens.

Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...

More from Miriam Dalli

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Meeting half-way is the best for peace and prosperity. Both parties should dialogue i.e. meet and talk with the possibility of changing one's mind. If one meets to impose one's ideas, it is not dialogue but imposition. The electorate has voted against this form of 'dialogue' wherever it comes from. Let reason and humility prevail.

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We have no right to kill for sport. Whether birds, animals or fish, they have as much a right to share this world and our environment as we do. They are God's creations as much as we are. That is the fundamental principle from where a civilized society must start. Birdlife, FKNK and the Government must find a modus operandi to achieve the above aims through dialogue, presentations and teaching. While the Government must abide by its electoral promises, it does not mean that we cannot educate these people to respect life in whatever form God has created it.

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Discussing law enforcement is one thing, actually enforcing it, is an entirely different matter. History has shown that it effectively was not carried out and the future promises the same thing.