Two held with scarlet ibis carcasses

TWO people were held with five scarlet ibis carcasses at the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, yesterday.

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat announced the arrest in a Facebook post.

“There is no doubt today that the scarlet ibis is an Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS) under the Environmentally Sensitive Species Rules and possession involves a fine of up to $100,000 for each bird, with the possibility of up to two years imprisonment,” he said.

He said instructions were given to the Forestry Division officials to lay charges under the ESS Rules.

Last month, two Chinese men and a Trinidadian escaped prison time when they appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate charged with being in possession of the carcass of a young scarlet ibis.

They escaped the increased fines since the changes in the law, which had been gazetted days before, were not yet known by the authorities.

Environmental Management Authority (EMA) chairman Nadra Nathai-Gyan said it was only after the men were fined in court that the EMA found out that the changes were gazetted and it was too late to reverse the court’s decision.

The three had pleaded guilty and were given two weeks to pay a fine of $800 or serve 30 days simple imprisonment.