Din L-Art Helwa has said in a statement this afternoon that, “the importance of the environment and public access to the countryside has once again not been recognised by our Government, and this time also by the Nationalist party.”

The NGO was referring to the outcome of yesterday’s motion by Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia, for the legal notice extending hunting to 12.30pm from 10.00, a Majjistral Park to be withdrawn.

Din L-Art Helwa argued that “representations made by the Park managers including Din L-Art Helwa, as well and the Majjistral Park Board composed of Government representatives, the Mellieha Local Council and the Park managers advising against this extension were ignored by the Government, and also it seems the Opposition.”

DLH added that the reasons put forward – that access to the national park by the public, including by children during school outings, is not compatible with hunting for safety and other reasons were not accepted.

It said that the original compromise to allow hunting to 9.00am, later extended to 10.00 pm was accepted by the Park Board, as before that time there would be few visitors and no school outings.

The NGO pointed out that “the hunters have two reserves nearby at Ahrax and at Mizieb.”

“Clearly the Government and opposition (united on this rarest of occasions) felt that a special interest group such as hunters, should have access to the park to the exclusion of the public during the open season,” stated DLH.

“This makes a mockery of the concept of a National Park open to all,” said DLH, “something clearly not understood by our legislators.”

The NGO concluded by stating that “it is yet another blow to our increasingly besieged natural environment and shows that our parliamentarians are not prepared to show any leadership or empathy with protecting our natural heritage but would rather give into to the demands of a specific lobby group to protect their interests.”

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