Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1013924
19 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 AUGUST 2018 Shooting at the stars That is the way of the world, perhaps – some of us shoot for the stars; others shoot at them. By now, the country has become used to the way things are done by a number of activists – i.e. those who tend to favour the Nationalist Party and its dogma of shooting down anything close to a shade of red, especially if it is a high flyer. This might work amongst blindfolded diehards, but it is proving futile amongst level-headed individuals who look beyond partisan politics. Anyone who has followed the media of late could hardly have failed to miss the increased public relations efforts particularly targeted at discrediting the work being carried out by the Transport Minister, especially when it concerns the ambitious roads project. The usual suspects are pointing at tree-cutting to make way for better and safer roads. However, they conveniently fail to mention that those same trees are invasive species that harm the environ- ment. They also forget to say that trees are being replanted elsewhere and many more are being planted in order to pro- vide cleaner air in the coming future. They fail to mention that widening roads will reduce traffic congestion and the eventual emissions generated by cars stuck in the same spot waiting for their turn to drive ahead towards their destination. Many intentionally forget that the new roads include kilometres of pedestrian zones and cycle lanes. Few talk about the security measures that are being taken to make our roads safer. Above all, no one speaks about the fact that our road network was left in tatters for years by previous PN admin- istrations and only now is it being seri- ously addressed through a long-term and sustainable vision. Rather than heaping praise or posing constructive criticism about the large number of projects being tackled at one go, and most importantly within budget and in a timely manner to keep disrup- tions to a minimum, critics resort to unjust comments. For some, change is a frightening thing, but at last a ground-breaking approach has been taken by the Min- istry for Transport, which these self- appointed critics still manage to portray negatively, in spite of its effectiveness. Destructive criticism tends to quench their thirst for complaining; it makes them feel better — at least for a few days. Perhaps there's a certain feeling of glorification in being a rebel without a cause. But this choice of strategy leaves much to be desired. It is not sustainable in the long run as has been proved time and again in the past elections. At the end of the day, this only means one thing – something is being done right, as criticism is a measure of suc- cess. As Aristotle put it "To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing", and inaction seems to be light years away from the way Minister Ian Borg performs Expect more mud and more cream pies thrown and thrown again; Malta's infrastructural revival has only just be- gun, and it seems progress and success are the fuel to the disdainful critic's fire. Reginald Borg Zebbug Countryside alliance I have followed with interest the debate in Malta on the fate of bird trap- ping following the decision handed down by the European Court of Justice. As a man of the countryside myself, I can understand how rules handed down from Brussels bureaucrats can alienate people who feel their cultural practices are being standardised. How- ever, as someone for whom farming has been part of the family business for generations, I also understand that it takes a dispassionate bureaucrat to feed the principles of sustainability and science into political decisions and law-making. Having been part of numerous al- liances connected to farming, envi- ronmental sustainability and animal welfare, it pains me to see that Maltese hunters and conservationists are unable to seek out a compromise that would benefit a holistic treatment of the Mal- tese countryside. Hunters and trappers certainly have to accept stronger enforcement: they must go about their treasured practice in full observation of the rules. But conservationists should seek out alli- ances in order to safeguard land and countryside, together with hunters. Surely some good will can bring about miracles for the little countryside that's left in Malta. Gregory Hulme East Yorkshire, UK Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications