The fact that BirdLife Malta has seen a significant increase in illegal bird hunting activities during the autumn season is very concerning. And it is concerning not just from an ornithological point of view but, even worse, in terms of the observation of law and order in the country.

The organisation said yesterday that it had reported no less than 436 illegal hunting incidents over a 12-day period − some 36 illegalities a day involving firearms. Now we understand that the organisation may have a bone or two to pick with hunters and with the practice of hunting in general, but there is absolutely no reason to question the organisation’s data.

Now whether one agrees or disagrees that hunting in Malta in spring or in autumn, and irrespective of whether the government lied to hunters in the lead-up to the country’s EU accession, there can be no one of sane mind who could possibly condone such illegality on such a large scale.

Any which way you look at it, illegal hunting is just that, illegal. Individuals cannot be allowed to run rampant and flout the law of the land without impunity. No civilised country can allow mass law breaking to take place, under whatever guise that may be, not even in the name of the protection of what is described as a traditional pastime.

By failing to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards spring hunting in the past, the government has already set a very dangerous precedent. And that precedent, if left unchecked, is being reinforced further with the passing of every hunting season without a serious crackdown on infractions of hunting laws.

After all, if one group of individuals is made to feel it is above the law and their personal volitions are not subject to the legal parameters that the rest of society lives within, what is to stop other groups from feeling and doing the same?

Legal amendments introduced in the wake of past mass infractions imposed heavy fines for illegal hunting, and heavier fines still for repeat offenders. Not only will the forces of law and order need to bring any and all perpetrators to justice, but the courts also need to apply the full brunt of the law.

In spring 2011, the Prime Minister had warned that enforcement would be key to upholding Malta’s arguments in favour of retaining the more controversial spring hunting season. He stated that it was the government’s intention to take all necessary measures to ensure that the law is fully observed. But, he said, the hunters and the organisations representing them should cooperate to ensure their own activity. If there is no such cooperation, there can only be one outcome − no hunting in the spring. The issue of enforcement, of course, does not only apply to the spring season.

We, and most others, had interpreted these comments to have meant that if Malta stands any chance of reapplying the spring derogation in years to come, there will not only have to be zero tolerance on the part of the authorities, but on the part of the hunters as well.

Neither of these things has happened yet and in the meantime there are thousands of people who feel they are entitled to take the law into their own hands. Zero tolerance to illegalities means zero tolerance but, unfortunately, and quite possibly in the name of votes once again, the country is being very tolerant indeed.

By failing to adopt a real zero tolerance policy towards spring hunting in the past, the government has already set a very dangerous precedent. And that precedent, if left unchecked, will be reinforced once again this year unless there is a serious crackdown on infractions of hunting laws.

Parliament resumes under a dark cloud

Parliament resumes tomorrow under very dark clouds indeed, as storms having been gathering over the House since last December. Those storm clouds could very well burst at any given point and whether the tempest to come can somehow be staved off until the natural end of the legislature next spring remains doubtful but still to be seen.

The House resumes with an independent MP, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who had broken ranks with the party at the end of July and who has pledged to find a positive way forward as the government’s coalition partner.

But it will not matter one iota if the government has the support of the House’s independent MP, as the numerical problem it has faced in the House over the past months remains very much in place.

The only difference is that the Prime Minister, as he has already done on two occasions, now has to secure the backing of Dr Pullicino Orlando before it even begins considering the situation of his other wayward MP, Franco Debono, who is making pledge after pledge to no longer support the government as long as certain people remain in the Cabinet.

So far the government has not yielded to the pressure, and it most likely will not. It could possibly be hoping for just such a scapegoat, and the ensuing sympathy votes.

Constitutionally, the government’s term ends next spring but there is no way that the government would be able to avoid votes in Parliament until then, mainly because Budget 2013 beckons this autumn. That budget will have to be voted upon, as will each and every ministry’s budget, as well as the budget’s implementation. And all of this should be done well before this current legislature dies a natural death.

This unprecedented situation will, for better or worse, prove very interesting once the House returns from its summer recess tomorrow.