Questionable wildlife exports authorised by GM
- Dr. Luncheon
Kaieteur News
June 19, 2004
The investigation launched by the Board of the Wildlife Management Authority was initiated due to questionable exports that were authorized by the entity’s General Manager, Khalawan.
“Evidence is being uncovered that there has been repeated irregularities in the management of the Authority, leading to unauthorized trading of our wildlife,” Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, told reporters yesterday at his weekly press conference.
Dr. Luncheon stated that Khalawan had authorized exports without the necessary inputs from the Board.
The General Manager has been sent on leave to facilitate a full investigation into the irregularities.
Dr. Luncheon said the period under investigation is during 2004 but he conceded that whatever the probe unearths, it would be taken up by the Board, irrespective of the period.
He disclosed that the number of species improperly exported and the total sum of levy that was supposed to be paid in to the Authority would be examined.
Dr. Luncheon said that apart from “revenue leakage” at the Authority, there is also some difficulty with the compliance of the exports, according to CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna) regulations.
“This could have a negative impact on the wildlife trade and Guyana’s access to trading rights,” he said. “That is a more profound implication of the wrongdoings and the revenue impact would be more significant.”
CITES is an international agreement between governments which is aimed to ensure that international trade in species of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Dr. Luncheon stated that the investigation has not reached a point where moves are being made to secure Khalawan’s bank account since the sum total of the unaccounted revenue has not yet been determined.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat described the misconduct at the Authority as a “well organized irregular activity”.
He revealed that the first indication of what was occurring at the Authority came about when two officers who were dismissed approached the Board to complain about the lack of due process.
Some allegations were raised by the officers when they met with the Board, Dr. Luncheon said, and these were followed up.
He acknowledged that the problems being faced by the Authority directly related to the lack of proper systems and the lack of personnel to deal with the trade.
When asked whether the recent shipment of dolphins had to do with the decision to send Khalawan on leave, Dr. Luncheon said he did not want to pronounce on that because the investigation is still ongoing.
Dr. Luncheon was also asked to name the exporter of the shipment but he again declined to comment.
Kaieteur News has found out that the exporter of the last shipment is a top government official.
A shipment of eleven dolphins was exported on May 21 to Mexico that was approved by CITES. The dolphins were taken from the North West District to its final destination via Margarita. CITES had approved a quota of twenty-five dolphins and there were three previous shipments.
This quota had to be filled by December.
However, Kaieteur News understands that the quantity of dolphins exported from Guyana exceeded the quota that was
approved by CITES.
For each dolphin, the Authority was supposed to receive a levy of US$4,000.
The dolphins were held at Shell Beach before they were exported and were inspected by a veterinary doctor.
CITES regulations state that a quarantine station has to be established for animals to be inspected before a shipment of animals could be exported.
Dr. Luncheon declined to comment on whether the dolphins were held in a quarantine station.
Dolphins fall under Appendix II under CITES.
This means that special facilities have to be put in place because, although the species are not necessarily now threatened with extinction, it may become so unless the trade is closely controlled.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat acknowledged that dolphins and anteaters are two of the more lucrative species that are exported.
Exporters have complained about the apparent favoritism being meted out by the Authority in approving shipments of these two species to certain individuals even though several applications were made by other exporters.
It could not be confirmed whether the government official is a licensed exporter but Kaieteur News understands that the official paid the Authority $20,000 for a permit to export the dolphins.
This raised the ire of some exporters who said they have to endure high costs to export animals out of Guyana.
And one exporter said he had to wait ten years before his license to export was approved by the Authority.
Exporters have to pay $50,000 for a quarantine station license, $50,000 for an export license, $9,000 for a transport license, and $35,000 for a trapping license.
Exporters have also complained about the leaking of information and withholding of documents by some staff at the Authority.
This leads to some exporters arranging shipments which were originally being undertaken by other exporters. Dr. Luncheon acknowledged that the trade is a competitive one and this aspect has come to the attention of the investigation team and is being examined. Three exporters took the Authority to court recently over the expansion of the number of exporters granted licenses to trade in wildlife.
CITES has raised numerous concerns in the past about Guyana’s inability to implement and enforce the Convention because of its failure to adopt the necessary legislation. CITES said in spite of significant assistance given to Guyana by the Secretariat and the United States, the government has not adopted legislation that generally meets the requirements for the implementation of the Convention.
Guyana had sent draft legislation to CITES four years ago but it proved to be inadequate.
This had resulted in the temporary suspension of the local wildlife trade.