Have you signed the petition for a referendum on bird-shooting in spring?
If not, please do so now. The form is available for download via the link below, which also gives you the address to which you should post it. You have enough space on the form to collect a few signatures from others, too, starting with family and friends.
The Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Hunting, whose initiative this is, has collected 20,000 signatures already. When the target number of 35,000 signatures is reached, the government will be forced to hold a referendum – Do you agree that spring hunting should be abolished? Yes/No – as that is the law.
Complaining about bird-shooting in spring is pointless if we don’t act when we have the chance. At least let’s give ourselves the chance to vote on whether we wish it to continue or not.
If you think that hunters have run the show long enough by throwing their weight around and threatening politicians with the use of their vote, do something about it. Help make it possible for us to vote against them.
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http://www.scribd.com/doc/179605062/Coalition-Against-Spring-Hunting-Referendum-Petition-Sheet-English
Can the same be done regarding the citizenship thing?
Antoine Vella seemed to suggest so in answer to my appeal for instructions. Are there any laws about who can organise the petition?
I thought the majority imposing their will on the minority was something you had a problem with, and continually harped on about?
I don’t “hunt” although that has a lot to do with the fact that the takings are truly abysmal locally, but there is nothing inherently wrong with Spring “hunting”, the excuse that the birds are on their way to breed is a very weak one.
They are always “on their way to breed”, only in Spring they are nearer to that period than they are at any other time.
The only issue is one of sustainability of stocks.
Spring is the only time of year when sportsmen can account for a half (make that quarter, by most standards) decent bag of Turtle Dove and quail, the Autumn season is a joke.
As above, sustainability is where it’s at, Spring, Summer, Winter, all irrelevant, in the UK it’s open season all year round for dove species such as Woodpigeon and others so common that they are considered pests, it is even customary to knock corvids’ nests out of trees with long poles, eggs, hatchlings and all, as a means of pest control, so much for Spring and breeding.
Certainly shooting as it is practiced in Malta (Hunting is NOT shooting – Hunting is what one practices with hounds) is subject to the same ill disciplined attitude common to a country that owes little in it’s culture to a European mindset. Being diplomatic here.
I can assure you 100% that the overwhelming majority of Maltese shooters avoid shooting species that are not on the list of legal quarry only because of fear of sanction, not because they either understand why they are not on the list, nor because they would care if they did.
That is the problem.
At least of late the FKNK, that otherwise quite useless organisation, has realised that there is only so much BS and defending of the indefensible that the public will take, and at least publicly, is changing it’s attitude. Whether it is a genuine change or one for the gallery, is hard to tell without being an insider.
I signed this around 2 months ago and circulated the petition to family and friends.
Would my signature on the petition be counted as valid? I have a Maltese passport but no vote as I reside outside Malta. I am going to sign it anyway as I abhor the killing of birds under any circumstances.
[Daphne – I have no idea, Raphael, but perhaps somebody else reading this does.]
You need to obtain legal advice about this article of the Referenda Act, Chapter 237.
“14. (1) Any number of persons registered as voters for the
election of members of the House of Representatives, being not less than ten per cent of the total number of persons registered as voters as appear in the revised Electoral Register last published before the delivery of the declaration in accordance with subarticle (2), may by signing a declaration in the form set out in the First Schedule
demand that the question whether one or more provisions of an enactment to which this Part applies, shall not continue in force, shall be put to those entitled to vote in a referendum under this Act.”
Seems like you need to be registered as a voter. I suggest you ask the organisers of the petition.
You need to be listed on the electoral roll.
Unfortunately not. You need to be on the electoral register of the general election (not just the local council one), so this only applies to Maltese voters.
Can you or the coaliton please supply an e-mail address where to send the scanned form duly filled up. It would be much faster and convenient. Alternatively, a fax number will be useful as well.
Much as they would be convenient, scanned versions are unfortunately not acceptable. The signed and addressed sheets must be presented in the original for them to count. Thanks.
I am against any killing
I have on two occasions emailed Birdlife about sending me the indicated form. HAS ANYONE BOTHERED TO REPLY? I do apologise for the caps.
God, yeah that is an excellent idea! Doesn’t the law say that a referendum to abrogate a law has to be held if 35000 signatures are collected?