From Mr M. Mifsud Bonnici
Having read the article “Malta ‘should be kicked out of the EU for its intransigence’” (TMIS, 15 April) – I am forwarding a copy of my reply to Simon Barnes for publication in the London Times.
Mr Barnes’s ongoing crusade against hunting in Malta can only be termed as truthful, honest and totally correct if one’s line of thinking is as biased and warped as his own. His latest article is nothing short of rude and defamatory for European Malta.
He seems to be concerned about what he terms our “tradition of ancient barbarities” namely that of turtle-doves and quail “being blasted to bits’ and refers to them as “these are not Maltese birds”, “they are our birds” and argues that “these birds belong to all Europe”
Indeed these birds do belong to all Europe and, being as European as him, they also belong to us Maltese hunters. If he enjoys their “gentle turr-turring” we enjoy turtle-doves as a stew. We have always enjoyed them as a stew and look forward to enjoying them as such for many years to come. Indeed I have several Spanish, French and Italian recipes for turtle-dove that would make his mouth water.
He would have one believe that Maltese hunters are massacring turtle-doves on a massive scale since he states that these “birds funnel together over the pinprick of Malta”. Yet, in an article entitled “Hawks, handsaws, cygnets and one turtle-dove: ah, to be back in England” dated 8 July 2006, he wrote: “Malta joined the European Union in 2004, but thought that it was perfectly all right to continue shooting 100,000 turtle doves every year.”
Using his own stated figure divided by the total number of Maltese shooters (15,000), this would amount to 6.6 birds per hunter per year (the .6 probably refers to the bits we are blasting). Truly a massacre of tremendous proportions, which in his opinion justifies Malta being kicked out of the EU!
I recently came across a report (www.shootingfacts.co.uk) released in September 2006, prepared by the Cambridge based Public & Corporate Economic Consultants on hunting in the UK, which states that a total of 29,800,000 game birds, woodpigeon and corvids are shot each year in the UK. The latter even throughout their breeding period. I wonder what Mr. Barnes has to say about this. Don’t these birds add a “mellow voice to the English chorus”? Also, what are his views about the poisoning, trapping and shooting of thousands of raptors in order to protect reared game birds or racing pigeons? A quick look at DEFRA’s website will amply prove this. Clearly he seems more interested in Malta matters than those in the UK; clearly a pure breed hypocrite.
If, as stated, Mr Barnes is indeed the multi-award winning chief sportswriter of The Times, he definitely should be given the highest award available for his hypocrisy, bias and deceit. And it is nothing but shameful that The Times allows such filth to be published before actually verifying facts. It would interest all Maltese to know whether he has first hand information about what he is writing since his attacks form part of a strategy only gullible fools follow. Mr Barnes would do well to visit Malta to see for himself the reality of the matter before making such a fool of himself by writing such nonsense. But then again he does so to please his buddies.
It might interest Mr Barnes to know that the Maltese government is exercising its right to apply the derogation for spring hunting and is prepared to defend this right even at the ECJ. Malta’s reason that there is no other suitable alternative for the hunting of dove and quail and that the total bag is sustainable can be proved without any shadow of doubt. Yet the European anti-hunting lobby (Simon Barnes included) use any form of treachery or blackmail (tourist boycotts, freezing of EU funds, expulsion from EU, insults, petitions and so on) in order to reach their goal.
If Mr Barnes thinks that “the name of Malta stinks across Europe” and that Malta is in Europe to “take the money and then stick two fingers up at the world”, I can assure him that such base comments can only meet condemnation from any right-minded person and can only be attributed to a sick mind.
Mr Barnes, if there is to be any two finger flicking in Malta I can assure you that this will be directed towards you.
Mark Mifsud Bonnici
Saint Hubertus Hunters