President Bharrat Jagdeo minced no words yesterday, when he announced that he may have to consider shutting down the local wildlife trade if the operators in the sector continue to subvert the legal channels to carry on their business.
President Jagdeo made this disclosure yesterday at a press conference at the Office of the President, hours before the Wildlife Division issued a statement announcing that Head of the Division, Khalawan, was fired.
Khalawan’s sacking followed an investigation into the day-to-day activities of the Division.
A statement from the Division issued last evening said the investigation has been concluded and that it no longer has the confidence of Khalawan. The Wildlife Division has severed relationship with him as an employee.
If President Jagdeo carries out his threat, it would have untold damaging effects to some 5,000 people who depend on the wildlife trade for a living. These include trappers, transporters, animal keepers, food suppliers and the exporters themselves.
But the President said there are persons in the business who try to use “back channels” to achieve their objectives.
“There are a lot of people in this sector who I think are trying to subvert things,” he said. “If people in the sector continue like this, I will have to consider shutting down the trade.”
Khalawan said on Thursday that he was never involved in wrongdoings at the Division and did not deserve the treatment meted out to him. He referred to the recent shipments of dolphins and stated that Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, had authorised the exports.
Today, President Jagdeo said that it was his understanding that it was not only the exportation of dolphins that was being investigated but also giant anteaters. He pointed out that these were two lucrative species in the wildlife trade, with the anteaters being the more lucrative for the exporters.
In Khalawan’s case, the President said if someone has been cited for disciplinary action he would naturally want to cover up.
He stated that Dr Luncheon assured him that the accusations by Khalawan were “nonsense” and that Dr Luncheon did not approve the dolphin exports.
In a statement issued last evening, the Wildlife Division said: “These matters have caused damage to Guyana’s reputation as a partner in the export trade, and to the new Management Authority that only recently assumed the task of streamlining the export trade.
The Management Authority will, however, continue to manage the country’s wildlife resources in a sustainable manner and in accordance with the laws of Guyana. It will continue to be sensitive to conservation issues and to take into consideration public sensitivities.
The Wildlife Division stated that over the period it was established, Khalawan exceeded his mandate as the administrative head and caused various wildlife species to be exported without the requisite approvals.
The division accused him of consistently keeping this information from the Board. The Board is the only body authorised under the Species Protection Regulations to approve such exports.
The investigation found that among the species exported without approvals are dolphins, giant anteaters and the finch, popularly known as ‘tower-tower’ birds.
In one instance, it was found that one exporter was allowed to exceed his individual quota.
As regards the export of anteaters, a protected species under the Species Protection Regulations, the Wildlife Division said that Khalawan had allowed several dozens to be exported.
According to the Wildlife Division, this matter was pursued by the Board and after a discussion Khalawan apologised.
It was stated that Khalawan subsequently requested approval for the export of four anteaters to a zoo in Europe, based on request from a licensed exporter.
The request was approved on the basis that the exporter could have charged the Wildlife Authority with discrimination since Khalawan had on his own, approved previous exports of anteaters, the statement said.
According to the Wildlife Division, what was revealing was that Khalawan permitted the export of the four anteaters but later it was discovered that he added one extra anteater to the list for another exporter, without approval.
The popular singing bird Tower-Tower (Towa-Towa) has long been excluded from export as it is protected under the Bird Protection Act.
The Wildlife Division claimed that Khalawan allowed the export of several of these and when questioned, explained that since they were exported as pets he did not see the need to seek approval or inform the Board.
There are exporters who are still trapping these birds that command some US $5,000 each on the international scene.
The Wildlife Division said the export of dolphins has always been a controversial issue. Since the Wildlife Authority started consideration of the matter, it has always maintained that it was in the interest of both Guyana and the importing country to be cautious and to adhere to a transparent process, the statement said.
It noted that while Guyana could export dolphins, it must go through certain protocols that the Wildlife Authority had put in train.
CITES was informed of Guyana’s intentions and the Wildlife Division said it cautioned that a non-detrimental study was needed. That study was done and was examined by the Wildlife Scientific Authority. It was then sent to CITES for review.
The Wildlife Division said: “While it was known that CITES does not have to give Guyana approval it was important for that body to pronounce on the integrity of the study. The Board at all its meetings took the position that no steps should be taken until word came from CITES.
“Mr. Khalawan was present in most if not all the meetings held this year and was aware of the position of the Board. Indeed, he was specifically asked at every Board meeting and always stated that he has had no word from CITES and that there was nothing new to report.”
Thus the Board members got the impression that nothing was being done while awaiting a response from CITES.
The statement said that the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Bud Mangal, received a report last June, that contrary to denials by the Wildlife Authority, dolphins were indeed being exported from Guyana. The Chairman then contacted the Head of the Division and sought clarification.
He was not satisfied with the response by the Head and immediately consulted with the Secretary, Kellawan Lall and with Dr. Luncheon since the Authority falls under the Office of the President.
Khalawan was called to a meeting and was informed that he was being sent on leave pending an investigation into unauthorised exports of wildlife.
The Wildlife Division said that Khalawan was not required to say anything as he was told that he would be given a hearing in due course.
According to the Wildlife Division, it was subsequently found that Khalawan had issued permits to export dolphins in January 2004; collected the requisite royalties; instructed the Wildlife Veterinary Officer to visit the area where the dolphins were being held; verified the issued health certificates; knew that 11 dolphins left the country in May by sea from Waini Point, Essequibo; and even communicated to Venezuelan authorities concerning the validity of the CITES permits.
“At no time, either at the Board meetings or the several other occasions when the Chairman, Secretary and Mr. Khalawan met, did the head of the Division offer information that he was going ahead or that he had in fact allowed the export of the dolphins,” the statement said.
Khalawan has cited a letter by Dr. Luncheon as the source of his authority to export the dolphins.
The letter was directed by Dr. Luncheon to Lall as Secretary to the Authority and copied to Khalawan.
The Wildlife Division said the letter expressedly requested of Lall to “consider” certain proposals suggested by Dr. Luncheon.
The Board has determined that the letter cannot be construed as an instruction to Khalawan to export dolphins and/or for him to usurp the authority of the Board and/or to conceal such actions.
The Board is continuing to look at the entire operations of the Division with a view of putting in systems that would prevent any person from manipulating quotas approved by the Board, extend quotas, include additional species for export without the approval of the Board, hide, falsify or destroy documents, including those of a financial nature.
There are on-going discussions with the WWF for the introduction of a computerised system of permits, which at any one point in time will show up any discrepancies.