Ganga Singh sounds warning:
Hunters have been told that there will be no lifting of the ban on hunting “in the foreseeable future”.
Minister of the Environment and Water Resources Ganga Singh yesterday sounded a warning to hunters that with the Christmas season fast approaching, there will be greater enforcement of the moratorium.
The two-year ban on hunting took effect from October 1 last year.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) in Port of Spain yesterday, Singh said a preliminary report of a survey aimed at determining the status of the country’s wildlife population showed an “alarming” lack of wildlife in protected areas and game sanctuaries.
He said it was for this reason the ban will not be lifted anytime soon.
He said estate police constables at several State companies including Petrotrin, the Chaguaramas Development Authority and the Water and Sewerage Authority have been ensuring the ban was adhered to in their areas.
He said he intends to ensure further enforcement by making estate police officers in State institutions honorary game wardens.
“We know that Christmas is coming and we intend to ensure there is greater compliance,” he said.
Singh said in addition to the two-year moratorium, and to address the “predatory culture in society”, the Office of the Attorney General was currently reviewing the penalties and fines in the Conservation of Wildlife Act in order to amend existing legislation.
“The current fines and penalty regime have done little to deter the illegal activities toward our wildlife resource,” he said.
Before the ban was put in place last year, Singh noted then that a total of 140,557 agouti, deer, lappe, wild hog, armadillo (tattoo), water fowl, alligator and other species were hunted over a three-year period.
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