In the Media

The Times
6th October, 2007

Gaia condemns ranger shooting

The Gaia Foundation condemned the incident that took place in Mellieha earlier this week when Birdlife ranger Ray Vella was hit in the face by shotgun pellets.

"Such acts have taken the environmental concerns on our islands to a new level, where criminals with absolute disdain for both people and nature are attempting to strike at the foundations of nature protection by intimidating and threatening environmentalists with serious crimes that could lead to grievous bodily harm or even death," the foundation said. The foundation expressed concern about the enforcement of the law on the islands, saying that "the seriousness of this latest act cannot be overstated.

The authorities must take immediate and effective action to beef up the resources available for nature protection and the prevention of such atrocious incidents".