He noted that the wildlife trade could be closed for at least six months when the next Standing Committee is scheduled to convene. And if the agenda was full for that meeting exporters could be made to wait for another six months, he added. Van Sertima said that traders now have to sit and await the outcome of the issue. There might be a chance if the draft legislation was gazetted and sent around to every member country for their perusal. I hope a lesson has been learnt and that we are included in the damage control of the trade.
Traders have millions of dollars worth of stock on their hands.
And, according to Van Sertima, the animals will eat far in excess of their market value before the six-month period of the next Standing Committee meeting. Martins is of the opinion that the industry is being badly administered. He pointed out that over the 18-month extension period of the submission of the draft legislation, exporters paid millions of dollars to government but yet the document was not prepared on time. Between 6,000 to 7,000 persons earn their living in the wildlife trade, he said.