WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1989
36
WAYS TO
CONTINUE
"THE GREAT MAJORITY OF TRADERS IN HONG KONG ARE LAW-ABIDING. HOWEVER, A FEW BLACK SHEEP HAVE BEEN USING VARIOUS WITH THE ILLEGAL TRADING ACTIVITIES.
"THIS HAS
TARNISHED THE IMAGE OF HONG KONG ENDANGERED SPECIES TRADE.
INTERNATIONAL
"WORSE STILL, IT HAS ALSO RESULTED IN SANCTION AGAINST HONG KONG PRODUCTS BY SOME OVERSEAS COUNTRIES, INDIRECTLY CAUSING FINANCIAL LOSSES TO THE LEGAL TRADERS," HE SAID.
APART FROM TRADERS. THE ORDINANCE ALSO APPLIES TO ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND ALSO INDIVIDUALS GOING OR RETURNING FROM HOLIDAYS ABROAD.
ACCORDING TO MR IU, A SIZEABLE PROPORTION OF THE OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINANCE INVOLVED TRAVELLERS BRINGING BACK SOUVENIRS SUCH AS STUFFED SEA TURTLES AND CROCODILES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AS WELL AS PANGOLINS, OWLS AND EAGLES FROM CHINA.
PROHIBITION
"ALTHOUGH MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW AWARE OF THIS THROUGH GOVERNMENT PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION EFFORTS, THERE WERE STILL SOME 200 SUCH CASES IN 1988, " HE SAID.
"I WOULD LIKE TO URGE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC то REFRAIN FROM BUYING SUCH SOUVENIRS AND ANIMAL ITEMS WHEN THEY VISIT OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND CHINA.
*
IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THE CONTROL WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY, MR IŲ SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD DEPLOYED ADDITIONAL STAFF RESOURCES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND ACTIONS WERE BEING TAKEN TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT.
ΤΟ
ON CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE, MR IU STRESSED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE WILDLIFE WAS AN IMPORTANT AND IRREPLACEABLE NATURAL RESOURCES.
IT WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE LIFE-SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM WHICH WOULD MAINTAIN THE BALANCE OF NATURE, AND ITS CONSERVATION WOULD ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF THE GENETIC DIVERSITY FOR FUTURE USES.
WILDLIFE COULD BE POLLUTION OF THE
HE SAID CONSERVATION OF THE ENDANGERED AFFECTED FIRSTLY BY MINIMISING THE DESTRUCTION AND NATURAL HABITATS TO ENABLE THE WILDLIFE TO REGENERATE.
THE OTHER WAY WAS TO STOP ILLEGAL POACHING AND OVER-HARVESTING IN PRODUCING COUNTRIES AND REGULATE THE TRADE OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES INTERNATIONALLY.
MR IU CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THE AFRICAN ELEPHANTS WHICH HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY POACHED IN THEIR NATIVE COUNTRIES BECAUSE OF THE VALUE OF THEIR TUSKS.
"ALTHOUGH THERE ARE LEGISLATION IN THE PRODUCING COUNTRIES то PREVENT OVER-EXPLOITATION AND DESTRUCTION OF THE HABITATS, THIS HAS. HOWEVER, PROVED TO BE INEFFECTIVE.
/"IT IS ...