Government is moving to ensure that the proper system is in place at the new Wildlife Division so that mistakes in the past would not be repeated and for the unit to function efficiently.
This was disclosed to Stabroek News last week by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.
Luncheon said changes in personnel were being made at the management level of the division and Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Satyadeow Sawh, was tasked with identifying a veterinary doctor to work with the wildlife trade.
A vet is required to check and certify that all animals for export are free from disease and fit for shipment.
Luncheon acknowledged the long delay in re-opening the trade but stated the all efforts were being made to establish a rock-solid system so there would no recurrence of errors made in the past. "Because we don't want to wake up next morning and have to start all over again because someone did some thing wrong."
He said wildlife exporters were asked to be patient as the final moves were being made to bring the issue to a closure.
Luncheon stated the new Wildlife Division will be situated at the Guyana National Resources Agency building in Quamina Street.
The Office of the President (OP) has taken over direct responsibility for the wildlife trade from the Environmental Protection Agency. OP had said the revamping of the division was due to the lack of expertise in the then division to manage the trade. Political adviser to the President Kellowan Lall, and former head of the Wildlife Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Karen Pilgrim, were appointed to the advisory committee of the new division.
OP met wildlife exporters two weeks ago to inform them of the changes and to hear their concerns. An update on the changes underway was to have been given to the exporters on Wednesday last but this was not done.
Stabroek News understands that OP will meet the new personnel in the Wildlife Division early next week to finalise arrangements. Following this, the long-awaited re-opening of the trade is expected.
Claudia Wellington has been identified as the new finance officer in the division. The former finance officer, Shibiraj Ramdass, is before the court facing charges of embezzlement of large sums of money from the division.
Checks have been made by OP to ensure the security stamps for CITES-the international body governing the wildlife trade-are intact.
Cabinet has already approved in principle the composition of the scientific authority and the wildlife authority to confer with domestic legislation and international obligations.
Exporters have informed OP of their concern of the late re-opening of the trade every year, severely affecting their livelihood and those of thousands of others such as trappers, farmers, woodcutters and material suppliers who depend on the trade. The trade has been closed since December.