Government 'playing its part' in protecting reserves

The Environment Ministry yesterday took BirdLife Malta to task over security at the Ghadira Nature reserve following the outrageous killing of two rare spoonbills.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Individuals gained access to the nature reserve some time on Friday night by cutting through a boundary wall and crossing a ditch before killing and removing the two protected birds.

Environment Minister George Pullicino took exception to comments made by BirdLife president Joseph Mangion who told The Sunday Times the organisation was owed money from the government for the management of the reserves. As a result of this, BirdLife could not step up vigilance at the nature reserves it manages, Mr Mangion said.

The July 2000 agreement between BirdLife and the government stipulates that "government personnel currently detailed to carry out duties at the Ghadira Nature Reserve (namely four watchmen and an environment inspector) shall continue to remain in government service. However, for the day-to-day duties, they shall be directly answerable to the manager".

The manager and the five seconded staff are under BirdLife's management, the ministry said. The personnel, together with those at Simar Nature Reserve, which were also managed by BirdLife, cost the government about Lm65,000 a year. These funds were over and above the maximum Lm10,000 the government advances to BirdLife each year in respect of the two nature reserves, Mr Pullicino said.

The pending amount owed to BirdLife was being processed after an audit exercise was carried out prior to the authorisation for the payment of such funds.

"The financial commitments and provision of staff by the government for both reserves show the government is playing its part in protecting the reserves."

The contract with BirdLife would be reviewed in the next few months, Mr Pullicino said.

Responding to criticism that the government was not doing enough to curb illegal hunting, Mr Pullicino said the government had last year raised the maximum fine for shooting birds in a nature reserve to Lm1,000 for a first conviction.

The firearm used can also be confiscated and the court may also order the suspension of the licence for a period of not less than one year.

On a second or subsequent conviction, a person may be liable to a fine up to Lm2,000 and/or to a prison term as well as the confiscation of the firearm.

The court may also order the suspension of the licence for between one and three years.

The Environment Ministry yesterday again condemned the killing of the spoonbills.

Such incidents were a disappointment to those that would like to strike a balance between environmental awareness and sustainable hunting, it said. It was high time for everybody to shoulder responsibility for such illegal activities.

The ministry augured that the perpetrators be caught and appealed to hunters' representatives that have any information about the incident to inform the relevant authorities.

The police said investigations were still going on but no arrests had been made even though several people had been questioned.