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James Debono
An illegal rabbit farm sited next to the residence of a Gozitan family, whose members contracted the acute skin infection Tinea Corporis, caused by ringworms, is not even licensed with the authorities as required by law.
In a joint reply to MaltaToday’s questions the director of agriculture and the director of veterinary services acknowledged the Gharb farm was neither licensed nor regulated by the Food and Veterinary Regulation Division.
They also revealed that a meeting was held between the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the Director of Agriculture and the Veterinary Services to discuss the best way forward.
“However at this stage no further information can be supplied,” the two directors told MaltaToday.
MEPA is claiming it cannot act on a 2004 enforcement order because it needs the active involvement of the veterinary services before it can proceed to direct action.
In a letter sent to MaltaToday, MEPA’s public relations officer Sylvana Debono points out that the Veterinary Services Act forbids the movement of livestock without the permit of the government veterinary services.
In the absence of cooperation from the veterinary services, MEPA could only act by demolishing the illegal structure and leave all the animals buried in the rubble. “If this were considered as acceptable in this day and age then MEPA would act. However, besides being the planning regulator, MEPA is also the lead environmental agency. As such it does not condone this sort of cruelty,” says Sylvana Debono.
MEPA’s laudable zeal in protecting the welfare of the rabbits contrasts with the shabby treatment reserved for the Bugeja family whose daughter has once more contracted ringworm as can be confirmed by a medical certificate issued on Friday.
Neighbours Gail and Patrick Bugeja claim that disease is being introduced into their home by the same rabbits, with medical certificates confirming cases of Tinea Corposis had likely originated from the rabbits.
The Bugejas are especially concerned for their son who suffers from Downs’ syndrome and a weak immune system, which might be easily susceptible to the highly infectious disease.
MEPA’s immobility in this case prompted the authority’s auditor Joe Falzon to observe that it “may as well publish an advertisement in the press informing the public that anybody may do whatever he or she likes irrespective of the Development Planning Act.”
In his report Joe Falzon lambasted MEPA for its impotency in the face of “flagrant and continuous disregard for the provisions of the law.”
The report was issued eight months ago, MEPA claims that a copy of the report had been passed on to the director of veterinary services for action to be taken from their end and MEPA is still waiting for that action.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
Links: www.maltatoday.com.mt/2006/04/30/t8.html
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