XN000022-1994-10-28 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1994

THE

WHERE SUCH AN OFFENCE INVOLVES A HIGHLY ENDANGERED SPECIES, MAXIMUM PENALTY WILL BE A FINE OF $5 MILLION AND TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. WHERE A LESS ENDANGERED SPECIES IS INVOLVED, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WILL BE $500,000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.

OFFENCES NOT INVOLVING A COMMERCIAL PURPOSE, BUT INVOLVING A HIGHLY ENDANGERED SPECIES, WILL ATTRACT A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF $100,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR. WHERE SUCH AN OFFENCE INVOLVES A LESS ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM PENALTY IS $50,000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

THE

FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS THE MAIN PROPOSALS FOR INCREASED

PENALTIES:

IMPORT, EXPORT

OR POSSESSION OF SCHEDULED SPECIES WITHOUT A LICENCE

NOT FOR A COMMERCIAL PURPOSE

FOR A COMMERCIAL PURPOSE

INVOLVING LESS

INVOLVING HIGHLY

ENDANGERED

ENDANGERED

SPECIES

SPECIES

$50,000 AND

IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS

$500,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR

$100,000 AND

IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR

$5,000,000

AND

IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS

FOR

EXPLAINING THE PROPOSALS, A PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR ERIC JOHNSON, SAID THERE WAS DEEP CONCERN AMONG PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) OVER THE RATE AT WHICH MANY SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS WERE BECOMING ENDANGERED.

HE SAID DESPITE THE BAN ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN HIGHLY ENDANGERED SPECIES, RHINOCEROSES AND TIGERS AND MOST SPECIES OF BEAR WERE NOW THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FOR PARTS OF THESE ANIMALS FOR USE AS INGREDIENTS IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN EAST ASIA.

MR JOHNSON SAID TRADE IN:-

RHINO HORN,

TIGER PARTS,

GALL BLADDERS AND BILE FROM HIGHLY ENDANGERED SPECIES OF BEAR, AND

MEDICINES CLAIMING TO CONTAIN RHINO OR TIGER INGREDIENTS,

/WAS BANNED