I know we have said this before, but as long as it continues to persist, I shall continue to complain.

What I refer to are hunters using repeaters (5+) shotguns when the law – liberal as it is – says that a maximum of three only is permitted.

Also, too many of them ignore the 200 metres from habilitation rule but shoot as they enter to valley of Wied Garnaw without waiting to cover the 200m. I saw one at about 11.30am on Christmas Day shoot at a bird which had alighted on the side of a building.

That people have to put up with their shattering noise from dawn to nightfall is bad enough, but when it goes beyond even the limits allowed, it is a disgrace!

I bet that isn’t included in the report sent to the EU on Malta’s “excuses” for retaining Spring hunting!

How many convictions, I wonder, have been handed down for these particular offences?

Oh – and for the information of anyone interested – apparently some hunters in the Luqa area don’t know, or choose to ignore, the 1pm cut-off time for shooting on Sundays and public holidays.

To anyone who disputes these “facts” I say: go out there yourselves, like me and, if anything, you’ll find it worse than I have described.

As for making reports to the police, what a waste of time, as I’ve found out and as the hunters know only too well!

I sincerely hope somebody does something to put an end to these abuses, and I don’t mean passing or amending another law to make them legal, on the premise of “If you can’t beat, ’em join ’em”!

Clifford John Williams

ST LUCIA