Change fireworks law to protect humans, animals

THE EDITOR: The Government in its present and in its past incarnations has shown no real inclination to regulate the use of fireworks in a manner to ensure that it ceases to be a form of noise terrorism for the vulnerable in our society, humans and animals alike.

The sight of dead and maimed dogs on our streets after these displays has not moved the authorities in any substantial way to heed the call for immediate action to reform existing legislation in order to remove fireworks from the hands of private citizens and confine their use to trained professionals at designated times and places: offshore at a reasonable distance so as to minimise their deleterious impacts. This is best practice and a reasonable compromise.

Having actually moved the fireworks in the Savannah nearer to the zoo on Independence Day, even after the zoo's welfare officer had asked for the display to be moved further away, gives a sense that the Government has absolutely no regard for the concerns expressed, even after the death of a kangaroo and the reported ill effects on the zoo's other animals in the past.

It's a sad state of affairs where for the sake of misguided pleasure many are held hostage, due to the intransigence of the Government and vested business interests.

Hikers Inc, as a member of the Fireworks Action Coalition of TT (FACTT), joins with other like minded organisations in demanding that the Government implements the required reforms to ensure that both humans and animals alike are protected from the ill effects of the indiscriminate and uncontrolled use of fireworks.

MICHAEL JATTAN

Hikers Inc