In our world, no signifies a negative used to express denial or refusal. The NO for spring hunting campaign typifies these qualities.

Could it be more ironic for the No vote to try and win credibility than to see Saviour Balzan, Malta's EU negotiator on hunting, as their main spokesman? Indeed it can. The person entrusted with a national obligation to negotiate derogation now prostitutes himself for the No vote, opposing what he supposedly secured on behalf of Malta. He has earned public funds doing so, and in his own words "served Malta not the Nationalists". Clearly, the Malta he refers to is not the rational Malta we all know.

But the No deceit goes further into the mire. SHout, when clarifying they were only targeting spring hunting, state "they do not need spring hunting because they can shoot birds for nearly half the year". Carmel Cacopardo, another SHout spokesperson, has different intentions: "An abrogative referendum is just the start of more referenda to make hunting illegal in Malta". These words, Saviour Balzan felt he should delete from the article he himself published with an obvious "not for now Carmel" in mind.

There is no doubt that the spring hunting referendum is a threat to legal hunting in Malta that will not end with banning spring hunting. The message from those supporting the No vote speaks volumes as to where their intentions lie.

Hunting has been a contentious issue that has been left to fester until proper measures were recently taken to tackle the main problem appropriately. We have witnessed too many half-hearted efforts to curb abuse. Indifferent administrations, years of ineffective court sentences and a slack hunting licensing regime have all led to a number of undesirables doing exactly as they please. The anti-hunting lobby has thrived on this and with the help of three local newspapers, that have now shown their true allegiance, has generated all the bad publicity they needed.

However, what was once a small over inflated problem is now well under control. The introduction of harsh penalties last year proved to be the perfect deterrent. Defaulters now face a €5000 fine and/or a year's jail and the permanent revocation of their licence. This is doubled for any second offence and even harsher penalties are contemplated.

Results speak for themselves and no better than Birdlife Malta can attest to that. "A detailed report of this year's spring hunting season, seen by Times of Malta, revealed that the number of observed illegalities amounted to 339 - 829 fewer than in 2013" - A decrease in illegalities by two thirds in 2014 when compared to 2013.  But does this satisfy our bird protectionists?

Clearly it does not since they still depict the spring hunting season as an excuse for illegalities. They add arguments, such as the illegality and unsustainability of spring hunting, which have been shot down by the European Court of Justice. They claim hunters occupy the countryside when the majority own or lease land on which they have every right to hunt. Above all, they criticize and ridicule our politicians for exercising their right to derogate from European Directives and fault every institution that contradicts them or supports the hunters' arguments.

I detest seeing Malta being used as a platform for international shame by radicals like Chris Packham. European Reports attest hunting illegalities in Malta as being far less than the European average. We are certainly no worse than where such people originate from. Yet only Malta suffers the shame of being labelled the "black spot" of Europe thanks to extremists that benefit from labelling it so.

I am positive that these antics have sickened the majority of the Maltese public. Convinced that the orchestrated ridicule of Malta as a world catastrophe bothers everyone voting sincerely, I, as one of many, want to put an end to this sham since I believe that a balance between bird protection and a legal leisure activity has been reached thanks to a European Court Ruling and our laws. I certainly will not let extremism prevail and have no doubts my vote will be a definite YES.

Andrew Gatt 

Siggiewi