XN000022-1989-05-10 — Page 37

35

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1989

NEW EFFORTS TO CONSERVE ENDANGERED WILDLIFE * * * * *

MEASURES ENDANGERED OF THE LAW WITH A

THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHORTLY BE INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL ΤΟ FURTHER TIGHTEN UP THE CONTROL

IN TRADE ON THE SPECIES IN HONG KONG AND TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT VIEW TO BETTER CONSERVING ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT SPECIES) ENDANGERED OF

THE CONVENTION ON FAUNA AND FLORA

THESE NEW MEASURES WILL BE PRESCRIBED IN A TO THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION ORDINANCE. THE LOCAL LEGISLATION GIVING EFFECT TO

OF WILD INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES).

CONSIDERED BY THE

THE

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH WILL SOON BE LEGISLATURE, WILL SEEK TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR BREACHING LAW BY FIVE-FOLD FROM $5,000 TO $25,000 FOR THE FIRST OFFENCE AND FROM $10,000 TO $50,000 FOR A REPEATED OFFENCE.

THE

EXISTING

CEILINGS WERE

FIXED

IN

WHEN

THE

THE

FINE

1976 ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED. THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERED TOO LOW TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DETERRENT.

A PROHIBITION ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL BE

RHINOCEROS ON THE TRADE IN ANY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS CLAIMING TO CONTAIN INGREDIENTS.

THE

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS) OF

(WEDNESDAY} IU, TODAY AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR K.C.

KOWLOON WEST ABOUT TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY THESE IMPENDING LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.

OF CLUB

HAD

DISPELLENT HANDLE OF

MR IU SAID IN THE PAST FEW HUNDRED YEARS, RHINOCEROS HORNS BEEN USED IN CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AS FEVER AND AS A CURE FOR HEADACHE. THEY HAD ALSO BEEN USED AS THE DAGGERS IN MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES.

SO EXTENSIVELY "BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND, RHINOCEROSES WERE

THE THAT

TOTAL POPULATION WAS POACHED IN THE PRODUCING COUNTRIES

THE BARLY 1970'S ΤΟ LESS THAN DRASTICALLY REDUCED FROM 70,000 IN 10,000 IN 1988.

"IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITES RESOLUTION TO FROM EXTINCTION, HONG KONG STARTED BANNING THE PRODUCTS IN 1979. THE BAN WAS

SAVE THE SPECIES IMPORT OF RHINOCEROS FURTHER EXTENDED IN AUGUST 1988 TO

MR IU SAID.

COVER THE INTERNAL SALE OF SUCH PRODUCTS,

11

AMENDMENT WAS

APPROVED, HONG

WHICH EXERCISED A TOTAL

ΤΟ CLAIMING

ITS CONTAIN

PROPOSED HE ADDED THAT IF THE KONG WOULD BE THE FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD BAN ON

RHINOCEROS INCLUDING

INGREDIENTS.

SUBSTANCES

MR IU POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE TO PREVENT AND DETECT ILLEGAL TRADING IN ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

WAS

"THE GREAT