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Joe Sultana, Malta’s leading ornithologist and a former Ornis Committee member and one of the founders of BirdLife Malta, resigned “in disgust” at the way the government has chosen to give in and “suck up” to the hunters’ lobby.
Sultana’s departure as advisor to the Ornis Committee is expected to trigger the European Commission to take a tougher stance with the local authorities.
Close friends of the internationally recognised ornithologist, who is also well respected in international conservation circles and an author of countless books and scientific studies, said Sultana felt frustrated at the lack of resolve to implement the Birds Directive.
“The first warning light was the Ornis Committee’s chairman’s decision to renege on issuing a closing date for the hunting season, the police memo asking the police not to enforce the bird regulations was the last straw.” A colleague of the Gozitan scientist said he had also said he had no more time for the comments pronounced by a hunters’ representative in the committee. “He cannot really sit around with people like Joe Perici Calascione. Joe was very pleased with the new regulations, he praised the people who had the gall to draw up the regulations, but he was displeased at the lack of political resolve to enforce them.”
The resignation comes in the wake of a vociferous police press statement on BirdLife Malta. Police Commissioner John Rizzo has been criticised for not doing enough. Earlier this week, it was revealed Inspector Alex Miruzzi issued a memo to Administrative Law Enforcement officers not to take action on hunting breaches.
The memo instructs officers to file a report but not to immediately arraign individuals who trap quails, golden plovers, turtle doves and thrushes; issue no charges against those hunting at sea with engines capable of developing speeds higher than 18 km/hour; take immediate action against those using trapping nets exceeding the measurements published in Legal Notice 79 of 2006; and take no infringement proceedings against those using shotguns with chambers capable of taking more than two cartridges.
The memo was issued last week on Saturday, on the same day a group of hunters gathered outside the Prime Minister’s office at Castille Place, Valletta to protest against “restrictions” imposed on them by the government.
On the other hand the police have been taken to task by the hunters’ federation led by Lino Farrugia, who went as far as naming officers who apprehended hunters by referring to their police tag numbers in press statements.
Strangely this time round, the police did not issue a statement.
BirdLife Malta yesterday confirmed with MaltaToday that there had been no discussions on the bird protection regulations “We were never consulted over the new regulations. Then why should the police come up with the excuse that the regulations were being temporarily lifted because of discussions?” Joe Mangion, president of BirdLife Malta, said.
“We are not taking this lightly,” Mangion said, visibly angry at the state of affairs.
Mangion would however not hint if this meant withdrawing from the Ornis Committee.
Speaking to MaltaToday, environment minister George Pullicino insisted the decision not to enforce part of the regulations is “purely a temporary administrative procedure” as discussions between the hunters’ federation and BirdLife Malta are still ongoing.
George Pullicino went on to say that the police memo “does in no way mean that hunters will not be prosecuted”, and stressed that “hunters are still being booked” when found to be in breach of the laws.
While steering away from replying to the question whether he agrees with the situation and the memo, George Pullicino reacted only to the question about people’s perception that the issue is political, in a bid not to upset the hunters more than they already are.
“Whoever thinks so is completely wrong. There is no politics in this matter,” he said, while adding that many hunters have been arraigned and prosecuted in court for breaching the regulations.
When asked about the application of penalties by the courts to hunters found guilty of breaking the law, minister George Pullicino stated that “the penalties given by court should not only reflect the spirit of the law, but need to ensure that they also serve as a deterrent”.
He referred to a recent judgement given by the Magistrates court last July where a hunter was fined Lm200. “That is a clear case in point, where the penalty imposed does not act a deterrent for hunters who break the law”.
Labour’s spokesperson for the environment, Roderick Galdes, was noncommittal about his stance on the hunting breaches not being prosecuted.
“What worries me is government’s lack of seriousness, for not enforcing the law it implemented while clearly not being able to keep the pre-electoral promises it made to hunters. I ask” what brought about this decision by the government after issuing the legal notice?” Galdes said, who added the situation was creating uncertainty for hunters, who claim they were not consulted over the transposition of the Birds Directive.
Galdes reiterated his party’s stance on hunting, saying it was in favour of a balance between sustainable hunting and adherence to the EU Directives.
But asked whether he was concerned that these same Directives were not being enforced, Galdes said: “We have to discuss the way this legal notice was implemented. There was no consultation… we have to see whether this law is good or not.”
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