[UPDATED] Zoo, Animals 360 call for complete ban on noisy fireworks

The Zoological Society (ZSTT) has said while steps were taking place to address the use of fireworks, stronger measures and a complete ban on noise-making fireworks should be implemented.

In a media release on Monday, its president Gupte Lutchmedial said the ZSTT has been consistent in the view that fireworks should be banned, as they were dangerous and can be lethal to animals and vulnerable people.

“The ZSTT is recommending stronger measures than what is proposed and once again calls for a complete ban on these noise-making fireworks. In this regard, the ZSTT is supportive of the public view expressed by Minister Stuart Young, supported by many organisations and citizens, that we should not have fireworks sold to members of the public.”

On New Year’s Day, fireworks were cited as the cause of a fire on Quarry Street, Port of Spain, which left about 23 people without homes, clothes, and other essentials.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (AG) subsequently said his ministry was looking at legislative reform on fireworks and was seeking feedback on the proposals by January 26. The proposed law seeks to limit the discharge of fireworks discharge fireworks to public holidays and Old Year's Night and would otherwise require a police permit to do so.

It detailed the procedures to obtain a permit, the entities — Fire Service, Civil Aviation Authority, Environmental Management Authority, and the local municipal corporation – to deal with the use of the fireworks, age limit of a person using the fireworks, and the date and time of usage.

In Monday's release, Lutchmedial said, “The 2019 incident of the death of our kangaroo, 'Joey' as a result of trauma he experienced from explosive noises set off by the Independence Day fireworks display at the Queen’s Park Savannah is well known to the public. While this reignited the debate on fireworks and there was much support for our call to ban fireworks, this eventually lost steam."

He said the zoo has had to invest in measures to mitigate the extreme distress to the animals owing to the fireworks at the Queen’s Park Savannah and environs, and while there has been support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries with the animal production and health legislation, more was needed to save the animals.

He said that legislation "could not address the fireworks issue directly and it is therefore heartening to see draft legislation to regulate and manage fireworks out for public comment.”

Lutchmedial pointed out that the fireworks debate was not isolated to TT and suggested the use of drones and noiseless fireworks.

Meanwhile Animals 360 has asked why more consultation is needed, as it said a joint select committee of Parliament (JSC) and the Environmental Management Authority have both already conducted consultations and surveys with substantial stakeholder participation and submitted very realistic and appropriate recommendations. It said the legislative proposals fly in the face of these recommendations.

It said a release from the AG’s office on January 7 said the Law Reform Commission considered the two sets of recommendations.

“There are absolutely no recommendations from either of these bodies that could justify a free-for-all fireworks onslaught on a public holiday or December 31st, even if for specific time periods. This recommendation as proposed in the draft bill has removed what little protection citizens currently have under the existing Summary Offences Act and flies in the face of what that the EMA and JSC have recommended. So, what then motivated these recommendations in the draft bill?”

Animals 360 said the AG's pronouncment that the general view of the public is that fireworks should not be banned outright was misleading and not a fair representation of the report.

“The EMA survey said 79 per cent of respondents reported that they were negatively affected by fireworks; 96 per cent of respondents thought that increased measures to manage the disbursement of fireworks was required; 57 per cent of respondents use fireworks on Old Years Night; 38 per cent of respondents use fireworks for cultural and religious occasions (primarily Divali), and 88 per cent of respondents discharge fireworks in their yard or street.”

It said the recommendations in the draft bill have not addressed two of the major findings but reward the respondents using fireworks on Old Years Night or Divali, often in residential areas or other areas impacting the vulnerable.

“This goes against any recommendation coming from the JSC, EMA or any other private or public sector body in the last six years.

"It also expresses concern for the losses the suppliers of fireworks may suffer and the recommendations included in the draft bill seem more concerned about protecting the profits of the suppliers and other beneficiaries than the peace and wellbeing of the citizens."

Animals 360 said the impact of losing "a few seasonal, part-time, low-paying jobs" should be weighed against the "safety and security of our nation.

"We submit that the Attorney General’s office or the Law Reform Commission is not the most qualified body to make the recommendations and their role should be limited to one of framing the legislation.”

This story has been updated with additional details. Below is the original story.

The Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ZSTT) said while steps were taking place to address the use of fireworks, stronger measures and complete ban on noise-making fireworks should be implemented.

In a media release on Monday, its president Gupte Lutchmedial said the ZSTT has been consistent in the view that fireworks should be banned as they were dangerous and can be lethal to animals and vulnerable people in society.

“The ZSTT is recommending stronger measures than what is proposed and once again calls for a complete ban on these noise-making fireworks. In this regard, the ZSTT is supportive of the public view expressed by Minister Stuart Young, supported by many organisations and citizens that we should not have fireworks sold to members of the public.”

On New Year’s Day, fireworks were cited as the cause of a fire on Quarry Street, Port of Spain, which left about 23 people without homes, clothes, and other essentials.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi subsequently said the ministry was looking at legislative reform regarding fireworks and was seeking feedback on the proposals by January 26. The proposed law sought to limit the discharge of fireworks to public holidays and Old Year's Night and would otherwise require a police permit to do so.

It detailed the procedures to obtain a permit, the entities — Fire Service, Civil Aviation Authority, Environmental Management Authority, and the local municipal corporation – the use of the fireworks, age limit of a person using the fireworks, and the date and time of usage.

In Monday's release, Lutchmedial said, “The 2019 incident of the death of our kangaroo, 'Joey,' as a result of trauma he experienced from explosive noises set off by the Independence Day fireworks display at the Queen’s Park Savannah is well known to the public. While this reignited the debate on fireworks and there was much support for our call to ban fireworks, this eventually lost steam."

He said the zoo has had to invest in measures to mitigate the extreme distress to the animals owing to the fireworks displays at the Queen’s Park Savannah and environs, and while there has been support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries with the animal production and health legislation, more was needed to save the animals.

He said legislation "could not address the fireworks issue directly and it is therefore heartening to see draft legislation to regulate and manage fireworks out for public comment.”

Lutchmedial pointed out that the fireworks debate was not isolated to TT and suggested the use of drones and noiseless fireworks.