Government is steaming ahead with plans to introduce tougher legislation to curb the wanton hunting of wildlife in Guyana.Answering questions last week before Parliament’s Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources,Discount Football Jerseys, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman admitted that even when new laws are enacted,Cheap China Jerseys, enforcement would be a problem. Wild meat or bush meat is popular in especially drinking spots and a lucrative business for many hunters.The Minister would have been responding to questions from Committee Chairman and Member of Parliament Odinga Lumumba,Cheap Jerseys From China Outlet, who believes that hunting for sport is becoming a major problem, with especially a few rich persons involved.The hunting of wild animals is almost a major problem – on the same level like that of overfishing in the rivers.Lumumba urged the new administration to move quickly to address the situation.Minister Raphael Trotman and his team before the Parliamentary committee earlier this week.Odinga Lumumba MPWith protected species becoming more endangered and sport-hunting proving a growing threat to the livelihoods of hinterland residents who depend on wildlife for food, the issue had been one of concern, especially for conservationists.Trotman admitted that a paucity of law enforcement and difficulty in monitoring the country’s borders is making it difficult.“It will be foolhardy to say we can bring it to zero,” he told the select committee.But reducing illegal hunting and fishing is something that is being looked at by Government.“The wanton and reckless killing of animals because you have the power to do so is not something we condone, but at the same time, hunting has been a feature that man has been involved in from time immemorial and I don’t know if we can stop it altogether. Certainly the wantonness has to be curbed and efforts are afoot to do so.”He said that the Wildlife Division is pursuing the idea of an enforcement arm.This, Trotman warned,Cheap Jerseys, will have to be carefully considered as the hinterland is no easy place, where firearm holders could also be intoxicated. He emphasised that the people involved in sport-hunting are not poor people.“I should say that United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime recently put an offer to us for a review of the movement of animals. The trade of animals is akin to the trade of weapons and drugs and trafficking in persons, and we are currently considering the proposal.”Government is moving to introduce hunting laws amidst growing evidence of abuse.The new administration is also considering the Wildlife Conservation and Management Authority Bill. Previous laws had allowed for the harvesting?of wildlife for various purposes including bush meat, scientific research etc. Breaking the regulations could have resulted in fines ranging from?$30,000 to $750,000 along with prison time.Currently, all species of wildcats including jaguars and pumas are protected,Wholesale China Jerseys, which means that their collection, holding in captivity, hunting, or otherwise molesting, is prohibited. This extends to the owning and selling of body parts of big cats.Guyana is a signatory to a number of international treaties, in which government is responsible for the way the country handles trade of wildlife and protection of endangered species. With vast forests and thousands of species of exotic animals, there have been fears that commercial activities including logging and mining are impacting negatively.Guyana has a significant wildlife trade,China NFL Jerseys, and there have been assertions that stronger regulations are required.