Antoine, since when do we see a group of 10 -15 turtle doves or quail? You would be lucky if you see those in a week let alone capture them.

We have more hunters than trappers resulting in the total obliteration of any bird which tries to fly over our countryside.Just look at last week’s influx of thrushes (imlievez). It is easier to shoot than trap a bird.

Hunters who do not have their own piece of land do a lot of damage in the countryside to dry walls and produce when they trespass, while trappers sit on their land and don’t move around to leave a trail of looting and destruction from where they pass.

If it were for me both hunting and trapping should be banned as the countryside is more peaceful without them, but I think the legislators have gone one too far against the traditional bird trappers.

They are past the age of being converted into playing golf. Let’s let the licence holders practise their only hobby. It’s their best medication for their mental depression. Their next of kin and friends will also be relieved.

I’d rather have a smiling trapper than a bunch of grumbling men walking around not knowing what to do with themselves who consider suicide as an option.

I’d rather save the quality of life of a human for the capture of a few birds.

And let’s put aside the excuse of the ecosystem. The miserable life of these few trappers and their families can be turned into a normal life with the capture of a few birds.

Aren’t trappers part of our social ‘ecosystem’? Where are our priorities? Birds before humans?

The life of these ignorant people is shattered. Don’t they have a right to live their stupid lives more than a common bird which sometimes happens to pass over this barren rock?

AST Nationalist?

Interesting. Please continue.

In my time, it used to be called Golden Harvest. AST, a Nationalist at that time, used to hang with the same clique that I used to frequent.

Golden Seven . . . pure grease! But how it mopped up the Blue Label. Good times.

Sorry but I like the man. I hope he keeps wearing those outdated ties. After all they go with his time.

[Daphne – Long, long gone.]

I’d say more like a Neapolitan Mastiff.

[Daphne – I have one of those and I take offence at the suggestion.]

A rotweiller has a strong compact body. Joe Grima is grossly obese and resembles more an outsized Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. Haven’t you seen him recently? He traipses his abdomen (or whatever revolting part of his anatomy it is that hangs lowest) along the pavement as he shuffles along, barely making progress.

[Daphne – It’s the head. There’s no dog on earth which shares that body.]

I heard his Joe Grima Alive program yesterday. He had the barefaced cheek to explain to his listeners how “fi zmienna” (Golden Mintoff era),

1.any problems that cropped up in various ministries between management and workers were ironed out in a civilized fashion round the board table.

2. the partit tal-Haddiema never considered Maltese mano d opera as “cwiec” or replaced them by foreign labour .

He was scandalized at the current democratic deficit evident in this country and the intimidation of that poor young student.

He seems to be suffering from total amnesia where the golden Mintoff / socialist era (1971-1987) is concerned.