From Mr M. Mifsud Bonnici

In reply to Fiona Hazelton’s (RSPB South Essex) letter explaining how her interview was manipulated (TMIS, 4 May), I wish to state that it has become quite customary for the local media to “use” foreigners in order to gain support from a gullible public. In fact I understand her frustration at not having been informed of her comments’ publication or that comments she never made were attributed to her. It is quite obvious that her not being informed made the publication of this article possible.

The quotes mentioned in “her” article were in fact taken from the article in The London Times. I was one of the two hunters interviewed for this article by The Times of Malta correspondent Austin Sammut. Even here the material I had supplied was twisted beyond recognition. To the extent that the picture of myself in tweeds shooting woodcock in my reserve was deemed as being too decent for The Times and was replaced by a file photo of a criminal hunter having his gun confiscated by the police.

This irresponsible attitude by the media and birding societies has, apart from anything else, brought about a marked nervousness from local hunters. Unfortunately, hunters consider all genuine birdwatchers as their enemy. This manipulation is totally due to the local anti-hunting lobby having total control over the media and consequently all hunters being labelled as criminals.

This is indeed unfortunate since the large majority of hunters are law abiding and would welcome any birdwatcher willing to support legal hunting and co-operate with the hunters’ efforts to eliminate illegal hunting.

Unfortunately however, the misconception that illegal hunting only occurs in Malta seems to be the number one priority with every foreign birdwatcher visiting Malta. Malta is made out to be the worst offender. The insults directed at Malta’s hunters and its government seem to ignore the fact that both are doing their utmost to eradicate this vice.

My reply “Britain is Bird murder island” (TMIS, 4 May) was sent to demonstrate to the local public that Malta is not the only “villain”.

These atrocities also occur in the “civilized” world, yet they are not considered as front-page news. Also, they do not instigate foreign birdwatchers to congregate on Britain in order to crusade against these illegalities and have no effect on travel to Britain.

The RSPB might have been surprised that our Prime Minister refused the petition presented to our government in 2007. Apart from the fact that the illegalities pointed out in your petition do not even occur in Malta, this petition was nothing less than a good fund-raising exercise, as reported by the RSPB marketing managers Whitewater of Shepherdess Walk, London. “Of crucial importance, the donation form and protest card were on one piece – making it harder to return the signed form without including a gift.” The three quarter of a million pounds collected from the gullible public through this petition was a good enough reason to initiate it. Bird protection might have been an afterthought!

Ms Hazelton’s comments in her last letter about not “taking a holiday before our government starts obeying European law” is a form of blackmail that can only be considered as an insult to our government. Is she at all surprised that her petition was ignored considering this and other similar irresponsible and unjustified comments?

I sincerely believe that rather than writing a couple of lines trying to exonerate herself, an apology to our government and all law-abiding hunters would be more appropriate. This together with a sincere approach to her purported crusade might make her society more credible.

Mark Mifsud Bonnici

Secretary

Kaccaturi San Ubertu