Voti u pjaċiri fil-Ministeru għal Għawdex

 

L-aħbarijiet dwar it-taħwida f’Għawdex fi żmien il-Ministru Ġiovanna Debono fuq it-tpartit bejn pjaċiri u voti qed jintensifikaw.

Hi taħwida li probabbilment ma konniex inkunu nafu biha kieku ma kienx hemm kuntratturi li kienu għadhom ma tħallsux.

Għax il-każ ma sirniex nafu bih għax xi ħadd missitu l-kuxjenza biex jirrapporta l-ħmieġ. Il-motiv kien wieħed biss: kien għadu ma tħallasx tax-xogħol li tqabbad jagħmel.

Hemm ħafna mistoqsijiet li jeħtieġu tweġiba. Mhux biss dwar min ħa id-deċiżjonijiet, imma iktar u iktar dwar min kellu l-poter li jżomm dan il-ħmieġ milli jseħħ u ma ħax passi. Fi ftit kliem min għalaq għajnejh meta xogħolu hu li jzommhom miftuħin beraħ il-ħin kollu.

Hemm punt ieħor importanti, li fl-opinjoni tiegħi hu ta’ natura fundamentali. Ġimgħa ilu fuq dan il-blog ippubblikat artiklu intitolat : Fil-Ministeru għal Għawdex: is-Segretarju Permanenti Frank Psaila.

Dakinnhar tkellimt dwar kif Frank Psaila kien mitlub jirtira kmieni mis-servizz pubbliku fl-età ta’ sittin sena. Dan wara li hu ilmenta illi ma setax jagħmel xogħolu sewwa u dan minħabba li kien qed ikollu ndħil politiku.

Bla ma trid bilfors tistaqsi lilek innifsek  jekk it-tneħħja ta’ Frank Psaila minn Segretarju Permanenti iffaċilitatx dan it-taħwid kollu.

Bilfors ukoll tistaqsi allura dwar kemm hu għaqli li s-Segretarji Permanenti fil-Ministeri jinbidlu mal-bidla fil-Gvern. Mhux aħjar ikollna nies ta’ esperjenza u integrità? Mhux aħjar ikollna nies kapaċi jxommu l-affarijiet  u jwaqqfu meta jkun meħtieġ?

Is-Segretarji Permanenti fil-Ministeri m’għandhomx ikunu qaddejja tal-Ministru, l-anqas qaddejja tal-Gvern. Iżda qaddejja tas-servizz pubbliku.

Referendum 11 t’April : il-vot qiegħed f’idejk?

 

 

Jekk għad m’għandekx il-vot f’idejk ħu ħsieb li tmur fl-Għassa tal-Pulizija sa mhux iktar tard min-nhar is-Sibt 4 t’April f’dawn il-ħinijiet :

Tnejn 30 ta’ Marzu          9am sas-1pm u 2.30pm sat 8pm

Tlieta 31 ta’ Marzu           9am sas-1pm u 2.30pm sat 8pm

Erbgħa 1 t’April                9am sas-1pm u 2.30pm sat 8pm

Ħamis 2 t’April                 9am sas-1pm u 2.30pm sat 8pm

Ġimgħa 3 t’April               9am sas-1pm

Sibt 4 t’April                      9am sas-1pm u 2.30pm sal-10pm

 

Tħallix għall-aħħar. Jekk trid iktar dettalji ara l-avviż hawn.

 

11 April : The empowerment of civil society

 

This first abrogative referendum campaign is about much more than birds. It is about the empowerment of civil society in Malta. Yet those who oppose the abrogative referendum have opted to  sow fear.  As it is only through fear that they envisage that it is possible to wreck these first steps of civil society in reclaiming its rightful role in the decision-taking process.

Last Thursday it was made known that Sandro Mangion, the Editor-in-Chief at Union Print was threatened as a result of expressing himself in favour of a NO vote on 11 April. Just three days earlier he had written a post on his facebook wall to state that after much deliberation he had arrived at the conclusion that he should support the birds and vote NO  in Malta’s first abrogative referendum.

Sandro Mangion on 23 March published the reasons which led him to conclude that supporting the NO vote on 11 April is the way forward. In a 430 word post, Mangion explains that his primary motivation in arriving at such a conclusion is the need to ensure that during spring all Maltese families have an unrestricted access to the countryside.

Sandro Mangion explains that his decision was the result of a long process through which he examined and discussed all the available information on the issue. Building development, states Mangion, has already gobbled up a substantial area of what was previously countryside.  It is not fair, states Mangion, that due to  the spring hunting season the remaining available public land in the countryside is not accessible to all Maltese families during all of spring .

Spring is the best time of the year when the countryside is in all its splendour.  All Maltese families, including the families of hunters, should have unrestricted access to the countryside during this time of the year, emphasises Sandro Mangion.  Access to the countryside in spring should not be dependent on possession of a shotgun.

Some hunters, added Mangion shoot at anything that flies. Even if few in number, these hunters  are a serious threat to the survival of a number of species of birds which migrate over Malta. Abolishing spring hunting would make it easier to enforce the law as illegalities would no longer be camouflaged by what is permitted hunting in spring.

Sandro Mangion emphasises that he is not against legal hunting during the rest of the year.

He concludes his arguments by stating that what was acceptable yesterday is no longer acceptable today. It is quite normal for laws and regulations to change (gradually) to reflect society’s development.

Sandro Mangion’s arguments are fair and objective. He develops his arguments in deep respect towards the hunting community and the YES campaign. No insults. No threats. Just logical arguments which explain why he arrived at a conclusion that he should cast his vote in support of the abolition of spring hunting in Malta.

On Thursday Mangion published the first words of the threat which he received: “If the referendum on the hobby that my family members and I hold dearest goes through, then YOU will be the first person that we…”  the message read.

This is a reaction which denotes an allergy to reason. This is an immature reaction from someone who is so accustomed to bullying his way through (directly or through his representatives).

Sandro Mangion was not the only person supporting the NO vote on 11 April to be insulted (and threatened). Earlier during the week obscene language against Moira Delia was scribbled on a wall in the scenic Ramla Bay valley in Gozo.

Unfortunately the hunting community in Malta is accustomed to bullying its way through. This has been happening repeatedly throughout the years when they succeeded in holding the Parliamentary political parties on a leash.

The abrogative referendum of  11 April is the reply of Maltese civil society to the bullying techniques employed by the hunting lobby to date. It is the first time that civil society has got together to coordinate a reply to arrogance through the ultimate democratic tool.

It is a process that will inevitably lead to the empowerment of Maltese civil society which is slowly realising that it can act decisively to reverse unacceptable decisions taken by Parliament and/or Government such as permitting spring hunting.

A majority in favour of a NO vote, abolishing spring hunting in Malta, will ensure that birds are protected in spring. It will also send a clear message that Malta cares about the environment.

Civil society in Malta will come of age on 11 April.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 29 March 2015

Attenti ………. għax ġej ir-referendum

Tal-FKNK ilhom ftit għaddejjin bil-ħrafa li r-referendum tal-11 t’April hu l-ewwel minn sensiela ta’ referenda. Anzi hemm min qal li jiena u Arnold li ma tlajniex fil-Parlament irridu minflok immexxu lill-pajjiż bir-referendum! Allura skond dawn qed inħejju referendum wieħed wara l-ieħor, ovvjament biex inkunu nistgħu niggvernaw!

L-Imħallef Giovanni Bonello diġa spjega għaliex dan mhux possibli li jsir. Huwa biżżejjed li jħarsu lejn dawn l-aħħar dsatax-il sena [kemm ilha teżisti l-liġi dwar ir-referendum abrogattiv]. Taf kemm-il referendum abrogattiv kellna f’Malta? Xejn!

Dan hu l-babaw tar-referendum fuq id-delizzji li bih qed tipprova tbeżża’ l-FKNK. Issa kieku kien daqshekk faċli, ma taħsbux li kellna ftit iktar referenda tul is-snin?

Daqshekk huma ħrafa l-argumenti tal-FKNK !

 

L-FKNK: tad-daħq, kieku mhux tal-biki

 

 

Tal-IVA isselfu ritratt tiegħi u Arnold li użajna fil-kampanja għall-Parlament Ewropewf’Mejju 2014. Qed ixerrdu riklam li fih qed jgħidu “Tħallihomx jużawk”. Iktar minn hekk wieħed jismu Jonathan  Bonnici għoġbu jżejjen  ir-ritratt tiegħi u ta’ Arnold bil-kumment “ma telawx fil gvern u jridu jiggvernaw bir-referendums! Thallijomx”.

Ilna nafu li l-lobby tal-kaċċa huma kontra l-kunċett tar-referendum. Għax jidhrilhom li hu iktar faċli tagħmilha ta’ bully ma partit politiku u tieħu minn għandu dak li trid milli tagħmel l–argument tiegħek mal-poplu u tbaxxi rasek għar-rieda tiegħu f’referendum.

Ir-referendum li jsir bħala riżultat tal-ġbir tal-firem huwa għodda demokratika li f’Malta ilu magħna 19-il sena imma qatt ma intuża.

Dan id-dritt demokratiku ser nagħmlu użu minnu għall-ewwel darba nhar il-11 t’April .

Bir-referendum ma tiggvernax! Imma bir-referendum (abrogattiv) hu possibli li l-poplu Malti jibdel id-deċiżjoni żbaljata li ħadu l-Gvernijiet Maltin dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa.

Nhar il-11 t’April il-poplu Malti jiddeċiedi bil-vot tiegħu. U kulħadd ibaxxi rasu.

Sandro Mangion mhedded għax ser jivvota LE

 

Sandro Mangion, editor-in-chief tal-Union Print ġie mhedded għax iddikjara ir-raġunijiet li wassluh biex jiddeċiedi li għandu jivvota LE nhar il-11 t’April.

Sandro kellu l-kuraġġ li jsemma’ leħnu. Kellu l-kuraġġ li jispjega għaliex iddeċieda li jivvota LE.

Bħalu hawn ħafna oħrajn, li ukoll iddeċidew imma għażlu li jibqgħu siekta.

Solidarjetà sħiħa ma Sandro Mangion. Kuraġġ lil min għadu ma iddeċidiex.

 

Fil-Ministeru għal Għawdex: is-Segretarju Permanenti Frank Psaila

  

 

Il-każ tas-Segretarju Permanenti Frank Psaila fil-Ministeru għal Għawdex fiż-żmien li kien Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi  (2005) hu inkwetanti ħafna.

Il-każ huwa dwar Frank Psaila sal-2005 Segretarju Permanenti fil-Ministeru għal Għawdex.  Psaila jgħid li kiteb biex jilmenta li xogħolu konsistenti fit-tmexxija  tas-servizz pubbliku f’Għawdex ma setax jagħmlu sewwa għaliex kien qed ikollu indħil politiku kontinwu.

S’hawnhekk wieħed jammira l-kuraġġ ta’ Frank Psaila li kiteb biex jirrapporta u bit-tama li xi ħadd jiċċaqlaq. It-tweġiba li rċieva bil-fomm inqisha bħala daqqa ta’ ħarta għas-serviżż ċivili. Frank Psaila kien mitlub biex jirtira ta’ 60 sena miċ-ċivil għax ma kienx kompatibbli mal-Ministru tiegħu!

Lil Frank Psaila ftit iltqajt miegħu fuq xogħol. Imma kien biżżejjed biex iffurmajt l-opinjoni li kien jaf x’inhu jagħmel u li ma kienx qaddej tal-Ministru iżda qaddej tal-pajjiż (civil servant).

Dan il-każ jitfa dawl fuq x’tip ta’ Segretarji Permanenti jitneħħew. Ma nafx jekk hux rifless ukoll dwar x’tip ta’ Segretarji Permanenti ma tneħħewx!

Dan il-każ iżda jispjega b’mod ċar il-mandra li l-pajjiż jinsab fiha illum.

Naħseb li dan il-pajjiż jixraqlu ħafna aħjar. Nofs tuzzan Segretarji Permanenti bħal Frank Psaila naħseb li jagħmlu l-ġid!

Joseph għandu raġun ?

 

Nhar il-Ħadd, fil-Qala Għawdex, il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat, meta kien qed  jitkellem fuq ir-referendum abrogattiv dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa tkellem dwar in-nuqqas ta’ rispett.

Fil-fatt, il-qalba tal-argument tar-referendum abrogattiv hu n-nuqqas ta’ rispett lejn l-ambjent.

Spiss nitkellmu dwar ir-rebbiegħa. Ħafna drabi nitkellmu ukoll dwar rebbiegħa ġdida. Nagħmlu dan għax ir-rebbiegħa hu iż-żmien ta’ tiġdid: hekk tagħmel in-natura fir-rebbiegħa, tiġġedded.

Il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa twassal għal qtil ta’ għasafar fi triqithom biex ibejtu. Mhux biss gamiem u summien. Imma ukoll għasafar oħra li jkunu ikkaċċjati bl-iskuża tal-gamien u s-summien.

Fir-rebbiegħa, iktar milli fi kwalunkwe żmien ieħor tas-sena  għandna nirrispettaw lin-natura u nħalluha titkattar bla xkiel . Dan li ser iseħħ permezz tar-referendum abrogattiv nhar il-11 t’April 2015. Bil-vot LE ser insaħħu r-rispett lejn in-natura fir-rebbiegħa, biex igawdiha kulħadd.

ippubblikat fuq iNews: Tlieta 24 ta’ Marzu 2015

Joseph u l-kaċċa: l-għasafar tagħna lkoll

Il-bieraħ fil-Qala Joseph Muscat fetħilha dwar kif għandu qalbu ġunġliena. Għandu qalbu taħarqu għall-kaċċaturi. Hemm bżonn iktar rispett u tolleranza qal, lejn il-kaċaturi! Xejn ma jimporta għal Joseph li bosta mill-kaċċaturi m’għandhom rispett lejn xejn u lejn ħadd. Għandhom ukoll tolleranza zero fil-konfront ta’ min ma jaqbilx magħhom.

Imma wara li qal dan kollu Joseph Muscat irrikonoxxa li hu qiegħed fil-minoranza u ilmenta li mhux sewwa illi minħabba l-arja li rabbew uħud mill-bulijiet li hawn jiġru mas-saqajn ser “jeħel kulħadd”.

Joseph għad jeħtieġlu jifhem li r-rispett għandu jintwera lejn kulħadd, mhux lejn il-kaċċaturi biss. L-ewwel rispett li nistennew hu rispett lejn in-natura fl-iktar mument li din hi dgħajfa. Ir-referendum tal-11 t’April hu fil-fatt dwar dan ir-rispett li hu ferm nieqes.  Ir-referendum ifittex li kulħadd jirrispetta lin-natura billi l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa tieqaf darba għal dejjem.

Min irid ir-rispett jeħtieġ li l-ewwel jirrispetta. Min irid li jkun ittollerat jeħtieġlu illi l-ewwel jittollera. Huma l-bulijiet li jeħtieġ li juru ftit rispett u tolleranza lejn min ma jaqbilx magħhom. Dawn il-bulijiet jinkludu uħud minn dawk li jċapċpu lil Joseph. Ġieli jgħajjruh ukoll, bħalma għamlu l-Belt xi xhur ilu.

Imma dawn tant draw jagħmlu li jridu illi jippretendu li l-anqas ir-referendum ma jsir!

Ir-rispett u t-tolleranza jeħtieġ li Joseph jipprietka dwarhom ftit iktar. Imma dawn fil-prattika jfissru ħaġa waħda: l-għasafar tagħna lkoll, mhux tagħhom biss.

Għalhekk ser nivvutaw LE nhar il-11 t’April .

The 11 April vote : not against hunters

 

The issue to be decided upon on 11 April is whether Malta should accept or repeal the regulations that permit spring hunting.

In fact the question asked in the referendum is as follows : Do you agree that the provisions of the “Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail Regulations” (Subsidiary Legislation 504.94) should continue in force?

On the 11 April we are expected to answer this question. A YES signifies agreement with spring hunting while a NO will abolish spring hunting from Malta’s statute book. It will also bring Malta in line with the Wild Birds Directive of the European Union.

The Wild Birds Directive is about the protection of biodiversity and not about facilitating hunting. As has been emphasised by university students on the campus this week, the focus of the referendum is sustainability. It is not about pleasing hunters but about our duties as a nation to protect wild birds. We have a duty, as a nation, to protect wild birds. We have a duty -all of us- to protect nature. In particular, we have a duty to prevent the loss of biodiversity.

Spring is the time when birds fly over Malta on their way to their breeding grounds. Malta, as one of the member states of the European Union along the route used by wild birds on their way to their rearing grounds, has a special responsibility to ensure that these birds are not hunted and can safely reach their destination.

The permissible exceptions are limited and very specific. These exceptions are known as “derogations”. The Wild Birds Directive permits the killing of wild birds during spring if these are a threat to aviation security. Likewise, the killing of wild birds in the spring is permissible if they are agricultural pests or else pose a sanitary threat. The Wild Birds Directive does not, in any way, permit the killing of birds for fun.

There are a number of inaccuracies being bandied around by the hunting lobby during this referendum campaign. They state, for example, that Malta has negotiated a derogation relative to spring hunting.  This is incorrect. No EU member has negotiated, or can negotiate, any spring hunting derogation. Derogations are not designed to suite the interests of individual states and the rules regulating such derogations are spelt out clearly and are applicable to all member states in equal measure.

The decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in 2009 is also being grossly misinterpreted and quoted out of context. The ECJ decision does not in any way condone spring hunting. It does, in fact, chastise Malta for infringing the Wild Birds Directive during the period 2004-2007 and concludes that, by authorising spring hunting of quails and turtle doves  from 2004 to 2007, Malta has failed to comply with the Wild Birds Directive. (ECJ decision C-76/08 dated 9 September 2009) The reports on the derogations unilaterally taken by the Maltese government to permit spring hunting from 2008 to date are still being evaluated by the European Commission.

These are briefly the issues which the 11 April will decide. As a direct consequence of abolishing spring hunting, in addition to shouldering our responsibilities as a nation to protect wild birds during their breeding time we will have the added benefit of reclaiming the countryside during spring.

This abrogative referendum is a democratic tool which is being utilised for the first time by civil society in Malta. It is being used because, over the years, the parliamentary political parties preferred to listen to the hunting lobby which repeatedly warned them: “No hunting no vote”   and had them on a leash.

Maybe this time they will take heed, that even environmentalists have a vote.  It is not a vote against hunters, but a vote in favour of wild birds and their protection. It is a vote in favour of our environment and in favour of Malta .

published in the Malta Independent on Sunday: 22nd March 2015