Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/444527
Newspaper post CONTINUES PAGE 4 YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 11 JANUARY 2015 • ISSUE 792 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday It will be a 'no' to hunting on 11 April Not binding on Peralta to abstain on Leisure Clothing case Anti-hunting lobby bungles referendum question as voters asked to say 'NO' to current hunting law MATTHEW AGIUS JUSTICE Minister Owen Bonnici has told MaltaToday that there is nothing at law to prevent Magistrate Carol Peralta from hear- ing the Leisure Clothing case in which the defendants are being represented by his own personal lawyer. Peralta's lawyer Edward Gatt, currently una- vailable for comment due to health matters, is representing the magistrate in proceedings before the Commission for the Administra- tion of Justice. He is also the lawyer for the director of Chi- nese Leisure Clothing, Bin Han, who stands charged in court with human trafficking. The judiciary watchdog has not yet reached a conclusion into Peralta's actions 12 months after he organised a Christmas party inside a courtroom and asked police to take action against a journalist who reported the event. The probe started in December 2013 follow- ing Peralta's unauthorised Christmas party, during which the senior magistrate was al- leged to have been smoking inside the cham- ber – something that is not permitted. When a Times of Malta reporter went to the court- room to look into the matter, the magistrate asked the police to take action against him. His actions drew immediate condemnation: justice minister Owen Bonnici called them "illegal and abusive" and wrote to the Com- mission for the Administration of Justice asking it to act with urgency and "take all the steps it deems fit". MaltaToday asked Bonnici whether it was necessary that a judge or magistrate abstain from hearing a case when lawyers represent- ing them in personal matters, also appear in their courtroom representing their own cli- ents. No longer 'iva' - according to the referendum question submitted by the Coalition Against Spring Hunting in the Maltese language, voters must choose 'no' to the current law to abolish spring hunting. Pictured is CASH spokesperson Carmel Cacopardo, of Alternattiva Demokratika Not only about the birds There is more at stake for the leaders and NGOs in the 11 April referendum says James Debono • PAGE 10-11 €1.20 Not only about the birds There is more at stake for the leaders and NGOs in the 11 April referendum SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS FARAH ABDI witnesses the migrants forced to sleep rough outside Evans Building to get their identity card so that they can have a work permit • Minister says 'inhumane' system must change PG40 WATCH THE VIDEO on MaltaToday.com.mt PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat has set the date for a historic referendum on whether spring hunting is to stay for the 11 April, together with the next round of local coun- cil elections. The referendum was secured by the Coa- lition Against Spring Hunting, after col- lected over 41,000 signatures to success- fully petition the Constitutional Court to green-light the referendum. Muscat said he will defend the right for Malta to derogate from the Birds Directive, which bans spring hunting. But it also emerged that in their petition, CASH's proposed referendum question calls on voters to vote whether to retain the present hunting laws, or not. Contrary to initial impressions, the anti-hunting coali- tion will probably be campaigning for a 'no' vote to abrogate the legal notice allowing spring hunting. MaltaToday supports an end to spring hunting and is joined by The Times and The Malta Independent in its stand against spring hunting. REPORT PG 3 • ANALYSIS PG 11 PHOTOGRAPH BY RAY ATTARD