The Government has said that the statement made by Birdlife (Malta) following yesterday’s meeting of the Ornis committee, “claims that “the Wild Bird Regulations Unit’s (WBRU) proposal for a derogation to allow trapping of Song Thrush and Golden Plover this autumn is “an inside job by the FKNK.”

“It should be clarified” the Government said, “that this statement is incorrect since the proposal for the potential application of a live-capturing derogation for Golden Plover and Song Thrush has been made by the FKNK and not by the Government.”

“At the Ornis Committee meeting, the Government, through the Wild Birds Regulation Unit has presented a technical assessment of FKNK’s proposal for consideration by the Ornis Committee,” it said.

“The aim of the technical assessment is to provide objective analysis of the outcome of the 2012 derogation, as well as to provide an overview of the scientific, legal and technical considerations in order to inform discussion at the Committee. This was the practice adopted in the past, prior to the application of similar derogations every year since 2007.

“The analysis has been prepared by technical staff of the Unit with inputs from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority as well as from the Police,” the Government said.

“Unfortunately Birdlife (Malta) chose to walk out of the Committee meeting on the grounds of objecting to the presence of one of the Unit’s employees who was, prior to his secondment with the Unit, a member of FKNK Council.”

“For the sake of clarification, it should be noted that Mr. Joseph Lia, who has been seconded with the Unit from the Ministry of Health, has now resigned his role within the FKNK’s Council and there is no conflict of interest arising out of his role within the new Unit,” the Government said.

The Government said it “deplores the unethical and discriminatory stand adopted by Birdlife (Malta), which has chosen to discriminate against a public sector employee on the grounds of his legitimate past affiliation with a voluntary organisation.”

The Government said taht “it should be underlined that public sector engagements are not made on the basis of one’s affiliation with any voluntary organisation. Appointing, or precluding from appointing any public sector employee within any public sector role on the basis of affiliation with a voluntary organisation would be unconstitutional, since our Constitution guarantees citizens’ freedom of association.

“The Chairman of the Ornis Committee has considered Birdlife (Malta)’s objection, but has ruled that it would be unconstitutional to reject consideration of the technical and scientific assessment on the grounds of the presence of a technical employee who has previously been affiliated with a voluntary organisation.”

The Government concluded by saying that “it should furthermore be highlighted that thousands of Government employees are also members of legitimate NGOs, as it is their right, whilst some Government employees have even been seconded to assist various NGOs, including Birdlife (Malta).”

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