Cabinet-appointed wildlife conservation committee convened

During the meeting, Agriculture Minister, Clarence Rambharat, told the committee members, “We have a lot of work to do in a short space of time.” The committee is expected to discuss Amendments to the Conservation of Wildlife Act, paying particular attention to provisions related to wildlife trade, scope of wildlife and increased fines and penalties; amongst others.

The ministry, in a statement issued yesterday, said Rambharat; speaking in the context of the expectation that the Committee will deliberate on pertinent issues, said a valuable starting point would be a review of the Final Report of the Steering Committee on the Management of Hunting.

Rambharat also advised them to do so while paying attention to “the economic value of wildlife hunting in Trinidad and Tobago.” Committee members include Courtney Park - Conservator of Forests, Forestry Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Gupte Lutchmedial - representing the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Reeza Mohammed - former Minister of Agriculture and representative of the Hunting Association, Dr Indira Omah-Maharaj - Zoologist, Buddie Miller - representing Amateur Hunters in Trinidad and Tobago, Anthony Davis - representing the interest of Caged Birds Fanciers, Tennille Plata-George - representing the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, and Yasmin Baksh-Comeau - representing Field Naturalists.