Malta Labour Party leader Alfred Sant yesterday said that the recent decision taken by the government to close the spring hunting season prematurely was “an unjust u-turn”.

Speaking at a Labour Party activity in Mellieha, Dr Sant said that the government had boasted that hunting and trapping was better regulated by heftier fines for offenders, but the recent “massacre of honey buzzards” would not have taken place if there really was a decent system that regulates hunting and trapping.

“So the government simply decided to close the hunting season, even if many good-willed hunters are suffering the consequences,” said Dr Sant. He added that while EU rules must be observed, balanced decisions must be taken in this regard to respect both the hunters and those against the hobby.

Dr Sant referred to a number of decisions for which nobody assumed responsibility, including the controversy over the relocation of the Valletta open-air market (monti).

The government is showing a strong lack of concern for the street hawkers’ families and he questioned whether this is being done to accommodate those few who are “close to ministers”.

“After the forthcoming general election, the Labour Party will definitely investigate certain cases characterised by nepotism. We will take legal action if necessary and if not, we will publish the information we find,” he said, adding that the country cannot move forward without people assuming responsibility for their actions.

Dr Sant also made reference to “a Mater Dei corruption case” brought up by former Nationalist MP Frank Portelli, saying that the matter should be investigated.

Dr Sant said the MLP agreed with Dr Portelli, who called for the investigation, but the MLP leader stopped short of giving any more details.

Dr Sant said that while the Nationalist administration has been showing a lack of transparency and accountability, the Labour Party’s fundamental priorities are responsibility, transparency and efficiency, and these are the values upon which all its strategies will be planned.

Referring to the government’s plan for a nature and history park at Xaghra l-Hamra in the north west of Malta, Dr Sant said that while he was sure this will never materialise, the government had spent close to Lm500,000 to justify Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s proposal to develop a golf course at the same site.

“Now the government has decided to have a nature park instead of a golf course. Who do they think they are going to fool?” he said.

The golf course proposal was only one of the government’s decisions that lacked thought and decent planning, and which resulted in huge amounts of money being wasted, said Dr Sant.

Labour deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Charles Mangion opened his speech by denying media reports that there was some form of disagreement between himself, Dr Sant and the party’s other deputy leader, Michael Falzon.

He went on to make reference to the overruns involved in the construction of some roads that formed part of the Fifth Italian Protocol.

Dr Mangion said that during a recent meeting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, a financial audit showed that roads that were meant to cost Lm3.4 million and Lm3.5 million, incurred additional costs of Lm1.6 million and Lm1.8 million respectively. There was also an overrun of almost Lm500,000 in the construction of another road that was initially meant to cost Lm5.3 million. Nobody, however, gave a valid explanation for these overruns, said Dr Mangion.

He also made reference to the overruns involved in the project of the ferry terminal in Mgarr, Gozo, which was meant to cost Lm8 million, but has already run into an additional Lm5 million.

Referring to the health service, Dr Mangion said that while the Labour Party intended to continue offering the service for free, this would be improved and strengthened by means of

better management.

As he spoke about the cost of living, Dr Mangion stressed the Labour Party’s commitment to reduce the electricity surcharge by half, should it be elected to government at the next general election.

The third speaker at yesterday morning’s activity was Joe Mizzi, Labour’s main spokesperson for infrastructural services, who spoke about the Nationalist Party’s undelivered promises.

He spoke about the ports reform, which was intended for the benefit of consumers, but which has been in the pipeline for far too long. Mr Mizzi said that such deficiencies do not augur well for the country’s democracy.

A Labour Party delegation led by Dr Sant later made a symbolic visit to the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha, where some 3,000 trees were vandalised last week. While strongly condemning the attack, Dr Sant said the Labour Party shall be giving all its support for the vandalised trees to be replaced and the party will also be making a financial contribution towards the afforestation project.