I was literally astounded to read what Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello has said about so many thousands of his fellow Maltese and Gozitans when he described them as “Neanderthals”, just because, possibly their sole passionate pastime in life, is hunting!

 I cannot ever believe that Dr Giovanni Bonello has ever allowed his own, perhaps visceral dislike – not to say hatred – for anything or anyone, cloud his judgement when passing sentence as a judge. Unfortunately, this time he has allowed his obvious visceral dislike of hunting to affect his better judgement when using the word “Neanderthals” about thousands of Maltese and Gozitan hunters, who, after all, have been practising a legal pastime. I am also sure that Dr Giovanni Bonello also agrees that the vast majority in any activity should never suffer because of the illegalities of a few.

When Dr Giovanni Bonello used that word, he was indirectly also implying that the many thousands of Maltese and Gozitan voters, including the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, together with the vast majority of the members of parliament, would be supporting “Neanderthals” when they vote YES in order for Malta to have the right to allow spring hunting for just 20 mornings in spring. Besides, even all those judges at the European Court of Justice who decided to grant Malta this right, must have had a very different view to that being expressed by Dr Giovanni Bonello.

Incidentally, a number of those whom Dr Giovanni Bonello has described as “Neanderthals” have returned from Ethiopia where they went to build a school for children who are living in extreme poverty. And before leaving to return to Malta, also gave the impoverished people there, their own clothes, besides €20,000 which they had collected, in order to buy necessities for the school! How different to the picture SHout are trying to give about hunters!

I am certain that many readers of this newspaper have expected better from Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello!

 

Eddy Privitera