Emperor Valley Zoo workers protest

The maintenance staff of the Emperor Valley Zoo staged a protest opposite Whitehall yesterday, calling for the Zoological Council to be removed.

Arnold Viarruel, member of Staff Associated Executives of EVZ, and his colleagues gathered outside Whitehall armed with placards. “We want this Council to be replaced by a board that comprises a zoologist, veterinarian and a Government representative. Right now there are none. Instead they have business people running the zoo.You cannot run the zoo from anywhere else but from the zoo.” Viarruel also accused the council of withholding financial releases for the zoo’s needs,  thus preventing the zoo from being upgraded. “The animals are suffering, they need proper facilities. The alligators and crocodiles need a barrier to protect visitors from their attacks.” He added that last week the Government released a Development Programme Fund of $295,000 to upgrade the zoo, but the council wants to use this money to construct a Council Conference Building. He added that talks with Rennie Dumas, Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, have proven futile. “We want definite pieces of legislature and not void promises, ” he said.