By cutting short the spring hunting season, the government had confirmed it had given up on trying to combat illegal hunting, the Labour Party spokespersons for the environment, Dr Joe Brincat and Roderick Galdes said.

It was obvious that the Administrative Law Enforcement section of the police was not sufficiently equipped to deal with the problem and various environmental bodies had complained about the lack of human resources at the ALE, the spokespersons said.

Minister George Pullicino’s reaction to abruptly end the hunting season without even trying to add to enforcement efforts was beyond comprehension. Doing so would have led to lessening abuse and to protecting the environment and those hunters who observed the law, the two MPs said.

Ending the hunting season should not serve as a pretext to cover up the total failure in keeping the promises the government had made that there was a guaranteed agreement with the EU about spring hunting.

Dr Brincat and Mr Galdes added that the Labour Party was committed to strengthen the ALE section of the police seriously to enforce environmental laws and provide protection for protected species of birds