Twenty-eight-year old United States citizen Marlon Errol Harriram, charged with exporting birds without a permit, yesterday pleaded guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Priya Beharry, and was fined with the alternative of imprisonment.

Particulars of the charge said on July 31, at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, Harriram exported one ‘fire red’ and two ‘Towa Towa’ birds without first obtaining a permit or certificate from the Management Authority.

Harriram said the birds were his personal pets and that he was unaware that he needed to get documents to take them out of the country.

According to Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, the birds were found inside Harriram’s camera.

The Magistrate asked the defendant why he treated the birds in this way but Harriram explained that he kept the birds in a huge camera casing.

He asked the Magistrate to be lenient with him because when he was taken off the plane, he lost his ticket.
He was fined $70,000 with the alternative of six months in jail.