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Namibia: Govt Gets Tough On Control of Wildlife Products
A NEW draft law introduced in Parliament yesterday on controlled trade of wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horn will impose hefty fines of up to N$200 000 or 20 years imprisonment.

Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said existing laws in the country made it difficult for her ministry and the Protected Resource Unit of the Police to successfully control trade in carved ivory products in accordance with international agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

"Government ratified the Cites Convention in December 1990 but we must harmonise our laws with the regulations of Cites," she told Parliament yesterday afternoon.

"Although countries are not allowed to export ivory products, Namibia received approval in 2004 to export jewellery with traditional carved ivory ekipas for personal use.

This could not yet be implemented because we don't have legislative measures in place to control this kind of trade."

A few months ago the Ministry banned all trade in ivory products until the new bill is in place and is gazetted.

"The new law will require registration and licensing all importers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers in raw, semi-worked or worked ivory products and information to reach all nationals and tourists about these trade provisions," the Minister said.

The Ministry will set up a technical committee to monitor and control the flow of ivory in Namibia and to issue permits and certificates for trading and keeping ivory.

Inspectors of the Ministry will be entitled to search offices and premises if they suspect illegal products of endangered animal species and request the aid of Police to make arrests.

Inspectors can confiscate such products and any endangered live animals.

The new Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Bill will also make it illegal to import, export, possess or deal in any endangered plants and animals specified on the Cites lists and specified by the Minister of Environment and Tourism.

This will also apply to parts of animals or plants and products made from them, particularly from black and white rhinos and elephants.

Hoodia plants and some aloe species will in future be better protected under the new law.

In future no one may possess, import export or deal in any live carnivorous mammal without a permit.

Fines will range between N$20 000 and N$200 000, or imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both.

Debate on the new bill will start tomorrow.

http://www.namibian.com.na/
 

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