The involvement of Presidential Advisor Odinga Lumumba’s company in the wildlife trade fiasco is part of the investigation being conducted by the Wildlife Division’s Board of Directors.

Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said yesterday that the involvement of Mc Neal Enterprises is a matter for the Wildlife Management Authority and it is to be expected that a report will be submitted to Cabinet and made public soon after, as was the case with the recent investigation.

Former Head of the Wildlife Division, Khalawan, was fired last week after an investigation found him responsible for unauthorised exports.

Among the irregularities was the exportation of dolphins which was facilitated by Lumumba’s company.

Questions have since arisen as to whether Lumumba is a licensed exporter of wildlife and, if so, what criterion was used to approve the license.

Khalawan has since indicated, through his lawyer, that he will be suing Dr. Luncheon and the Wildlife Management Authority for wrongful termination.

He had issued a statement declaring that permission was granted by Dr. Luncheon for the exportation of the dolphins.

But Dr. Luncheon stated that he does not issue instructions to the Wildlife Management Authority in the running of its affairs.

He explained that the Wildlife Division, and its association with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is one of the areas which fall under the purview of the Office of the President.

He said the Division’s Management Authority and Scientific Authority have formal relations with the EPA.

“In essence, it is fully well within my remit. Not only does it fall within my remit but the collective responsibility of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Natural Resources and my own training and interest in matters scientific,” he stated.

Dr. Luncheon said it was always clear that his engagement with the Wildlife Management Authority and Division was always to listen in and seek explanations for the benefit of the Office of the President, and to offer advice to the Division’s Board of Directors.

“There must be some misconception and it is a downright falsification to say that I have provided instructions to the Board on issues,” he stated.

Dr. Luncheon disclosed that Secretary to the Board, Kellawan Lall, have consistent engagements so that Dr. Luncheon and the convenor of the Cabinet Sub Committee could be kept abreast of what was transpiring with the Management and Scientific Authorities.

The Cabinet Secretary said President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent threat to close the wildlife trade could have been in response to the public attention being paid to the irregularities uncovered in the Wildlife Division.

He said it was his personal belief that the President’s pronouncement came about because the new revelations of irregularities came not long after previous discoveries of mismanagement.

This could have induced some frustration, he said, because recommendations for the improvement of the management of the Division were not implemented.