Malta No Hunting this Spring and Spring Hunting Poll thread combined (1 Viewer)

[A CHAPLIN]

Thanks Tom for the post and everyone else who signs.

Like Eider-Duck I went to the booth and it said I had already voted, have they a list of all the 115,000 RSPB members who have signed the petition, is it only for Maltese citizens if so 88% or thereabouts have signed.

I filled in the comment box too.

I have just received an email today from someone who works for The Times (I think from the email address) and guns licensed in the last year have increased including 4 machine guns, I will now see if I can copy the appropriate comments. Here they are.

"The Times, which carried this news on Thursday, also informed us that there
are 11,929 licensed hunters and that a total of 1,789 new weapons were
registered last year. These included 419 rifles, 363 shotguns, 281 pistols, 251 air rifles,102 air pistols, 40 revolvers, 21 muzzle guns and four machine-guns.

Who could possibly need machine-guns? Surely not the hunters!"

Ann :egghead: :flyaway: :flyaway: Never what chance have they got?

 

[Jodd]

Went onto Times of Malta website but it said I had already voted? That's odd I wasn't aware that I had.

Just discovered - on the 'section choice' of the website if you click on 'News' tab and then back on the 'Home' tab it then allows you to click on the voting options.

Is it my imagination - are the number of votes going up but the percentages staying exactly the same? (Just checked it again and the %s have altered slightly)

 

[Richard Henry]

not good news

from the time of malta website:

Hunters suspend ultimatum
[16/02/2007 - 00:08]
The hunters’ federation has suspended its ultimatum to the government, expressing cautious optimism that conditions for spring hunting this year will remain unchanged. The Federation for Hunting and Conservation said it did not feel the need to give directives to its members yet, since there is reason to believe hunters will shortly be given what is rightly theirs. 'By nature, I’m never optimistic, but I’m certain there are enough valid reasons to ensure this tradition will remain untouched,' federation secretary Lino Farrugia, said.

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the above posting I can also add the following which is part of a lengthier email I have received this weekend.

It now "awaits" the outcome of a meeting of the Ornis committee, which makes
recommendations to the government on the timing of the hunting and trapping
seasons. The committee is scheduled to meet on February 26.

Ann :egghead:

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Malta says Spring Hunting will go ahead.

The Maltese government insists that it has implemented the EU Bird Directive and that the derogation for spring hunting is “well founded and within the legal framework of the EU Birds Directive.“

www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=253057

Also the Ornis Committee chairman Tonio Azzopardi has resigned suddenly for “personal reasons” and was replaced on Wednesday by Louis Cilia, a long-standing civil servant, a former acting director at the Corradino Correctional Facility. Ornis are to hold a meeting on Monday 26 February. This article can be read at:-

www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=252969

Ann :storm: :egghead:

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi,

It looks as if the Ornis committee meeting tomorrow is just to set a date for the spring hunting to start , wouldn't surprise me if they start after the meeting. It seems the Maltese government have "rubber stamped", agreed, however you want to put it.

It has been suggested that we all write to our MEPs and ask them to withold money that is due to Malta unless they obey the EU Bird Directive.

Ann Very :-C :egghead:

 

[David]

Malta Spring Hunting Poll

Just received from Malta:

there is a poll on the Times of Malta today regarding spring hunting;

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/index

The question is 'Should the government fall in line with EU insistence not to open the spring hunting season?'

would be good if you could spread the word and make sure everyone goes on and votes 'YES'!
........it is currently on 79.4% YES with 228 votes.....

Lots of support please!!

 

[On-Firecrest]

i voted yes, now on 87% saying yes and 600+ people have voted. :t:

 

[Vectis Birder]

A yes vote from me, too. Now on 90.7% and 1319 votes.

 

[Twite]

Happy to vote Yes.

Yes Vote is at 91.3% and 2143 votes.

Twite.

 

[John Cantelo]

Much though I agree with everyone's sentiments, I wonder if posting this here might be counter productive. Sure, if all Maltese people come out heavily against hunting (and I believe polls elsewhere indicate the majority are against) then it will have a real impact. However, I think that the hunters already know that the birding community (and beyond) find their activities abhorrent. All we might be doing is giving them a good excuse to throw up their hands and blame 'bloody foriegners' when the vote goes against them. They are not against playing the xenophobia card and I suspect that this will go down well beyond their own enclave of stupidity. Besides when did we last have a vote about whether we thought mugging was OK? No, they have to be reminded that they voluntarily signed up to the European club and they will get benefits from doing so, but that when you sign up you have to agree to a common set of rules,

John

 

[Brenty]

Now 2272 votes and 91.1% in favour of the ban.

 

[Twite]

Much though I agree with everyone's sentiments, I wonder if posting this here might be counter productive. Sure, if all Maltese people come out heavily against hunting (and I believe polls elsewhere indicate the majority are against) then it will have a real impact. However, I think that the hunters already know that the birding community (and beyond) find their activities abhorrent. All we might be doing is giving them a good excuse to throw up their hands and blame 'bloody foriegners' when the vote goes against them. They are not against playing the xenophobia card and I suspect that this will go down well beyond their own enclave of stupidity. Besides when did we last have a vote about whether we thought mugging was OK? No, they have to be reminded that they voluntarily signed up to the European club and they will get benefits from doing so, but that when you sign up you have to agree to a common set of rules,

John

Hi John.

While I can understand your point of view, do you not think that if votes come from from outside of Malta it will continue to remind the Maltese public of the fact that Malta is under continuous scrutiny by the wider European Community, though I'm sure they don't need to be reminded. If it wasn't for outsiders supporting Birdlife Malta, this campaign would probably not be as far on as it is now. The hunting lobby will put a spin on the poll whether outsiders vote or not, too many outsider votes and it's "bloody foreigners" no outsider votes and it's, "let's carry on nobody cares".
Who cares what the hunting lobby think? Isn't it great that we are in a position to vote? We should use it, because we can.

I rest my case m'lud.

Twite.

 

[John Cantelo]

A reasonable point; it's not a clear cut issue.

The problem is that the hunters seem to relish portraying themselves as a beleagered minority who represent the 'true Maltese' and are sticking up two fingers to "interfereing foriegners" (as represented by 'Birdlife International' and the 'EU'). Had this vote been solely a matter for the Maltese and, as suggested by others would be the case, the Maltese people had voted firmly against hunting then this would have been a far more powerful (and useful) message. It would have undermined the whole basis of the hunters' claims. The danger of a vote involving outsiders is that it only strengthens their emotional argument. It might also have made the local politicians think twice about grovelling to the hunting lobby,

John

 

[Mabel]

As of 18.08, when I voted:

Yes 91.2%
No 8.8%
Total votes: 2540

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Done

2609 91% against and 8% for

 

[Vectis Birder]

Hi John.

While I can understand your point of view, do you not think that if votes come from from outside of Malta it will continue to remind the Maltese public of the fact that Malta is under continuous scrutiny by the wider European Community, though I'm sure they don't need to be reminded. If it wasn't for outsiders supporting Birdlife Malta, this campaign would probably not be as far on as it is now. The hunting lobby will put a spin on the poll whether outsiders vote or not, too many outsider votes and it's "bloody foreigners" no outsider votes and it's, "let's carry on nobody cares".
Who cares what the hunting lobby think? Isn't it great that we are in a position to vote? We should use it, because we can.

I rest my case m'lud.

Twite.

I agree with Twite, although I do see John Cantelo's point too. I did think about it before I voted on the poll. While there could be an element in Malta who think 'bloody interfereing foreigners' I believe it's important that Malta knows that it's being watched closely. I'm not worried about upsetting the hunters and their apologists, they are so desperate to save their ghastly activities that they'll say (and probably do) anything.

Anyway, it can be argued, rightly in my opinion, that it is not a purely Maltese issue. These are not purely Maltese birds who are being killed and maimed, they are African and European birds as a whole and, therefore, I believe that we non-Maltese have every right to vote in a Maltese poll and make our feelings known.

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi,

I have been trying to vote since David's first post but the site said I had voted, I hadn't. Mission now accomplished. Present total 2864 90.0% for 9.1% against.

Ann :egghead:

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Malta

Hi Folks,

I have just received the following news:-

Exit polls indicate that Labour won in Malta.

This is good news as Labour leader Sant has said that he will abide by EU rule of law in regard to hunting in Malta.

More ordinary people voted for them, proving the hunters don't run the island. Sorry I don't know how else to put that.

I know politicians say one thing and do another when in power, just praying they give their voters what they want "NO HUNTING". Sorry for the shouting I want it heard in Malta.

Before everybody starts posting it won't happen and I don't believe it myself let's give them a chance to stop the slaughter and encourage them to do so.

Ann :t::egghead: :flyaway:

 

[Twite]

This is an email I received today. I will post this in one of the Cyprus threads too.

Dear *****

It was brought to my attention that you have a petition (No. 1091/2007) on hunting of protected migratory birds in Malta and Cyprus.

I don't know if you are already aware that your petition has recently been deemed admissible by the Petitions Committee. Congratulations! This is wonderful news! The Petitions Committee will now ask the Commission for information and to investigate the situation. It will also be considered with petitions of a similar nature.

I am Vice President of the Petitions Committee and am host to over 100 petitions. I offer my support to your petition and am more than happy to help in any way possible. If you would like to provide me with further information regarding your petition or have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or telephone.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours,

Kathy

Kathy Sinnott, MEP for Ireland South

Vice President of the Petitions Committee