THE following report was submitted by the Wildlife Management Division, WMD, to the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud:
The news item carried on Monday, March 26, 2012 regarding the trial of Robert Matson Conyers is very cleverly crafted in that many details were omitted and the actual information included seems designed to mislead and to cast a very negative light on the wildlife trade. The article states, “the trial is expected to shine a light into the secretive world of lab animal imports from around the world to the US”. This is confusing, since the shipment was actually destined for Thailand and the US was used as a transit point. Further the article does not clearly make the distinction between the legal and illegal trade when citing information provided by SAEN. Guyana is listed as a source country of monkeys immediately following the sentence that notes that the unregulated and illegal trade of monkeys to the US is on the increase. This seems to suggest that export of monkeys from Guyana is illegal. Guyana has established quotas for four species of primates and small numbers of these species are exported to the US each year.

On Friday, September 9, 2011, two newspapers published articles regarding charges of animal cruelty being laid against wildlife exporter, Mr. Akhtar Hussain.

In July, 2011, the Head of the Wildlife Division was contacted by an officer from the Guyana Police Force seeking assistance in a matter regarding Mr. Akhtar Hussain. She was told that there was an investigation into a shipment of primates that had been exported by Mr. Hussain. The following information was provided:
–           The shipment took place in 2009;
–           The shipment was destined for Thailand and was routed through the US and China; and
–           The shipment was returned to the US from China because the permit was found to be invalid.

The Division was unable to obtain further information regarding the permit number, date of shipment, species and quantities actually exported from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Wildlife Division’s 2009 export record revealed that no primates were exported by Mr. Hussain.

The newspaper articles reported that the shipment took place in February, 2008. This means that the primates were exported from the 2007 quota. The Wildlife Division’s records show that primates were exported by Mr. Hussain from the 2007 quota. The articles also stated that the shipment was sent to Miami, routed to Los Angeles and then on to China. Given the scrutiny that wildlife shipments are subjected to by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the shipment, permits and other paperwork would have had to be in order for the shipment to be sent onward to China. Had this not been the case, the shipment would have either been confiscated or immediately returned to Guyana.

Mr. Akhtar Hussain was contacted on September 9, 2011. He confirmed that the shipment took place early in 2008. He said that the shipment was stranded in Taipei because of adverse weather and then was sent back to the US. The reason for the shipment being returned to the US was unclear. When the shipment was returned to the US, it was found that some of the primates had died.
On September 9, 2011, another attempt was made to obtain information from US Fish and Wildlife Service. However, USFWS merely forwarded a copy of the press release containing the same information provided by the two newspaper articles.

While the articles by sections of the media are bad publicity, under the circumstances it would appear as though Mr. Hussain had little control over the matter. Unless further information is provided to prove otherwise, Mr. Hussain must be given the benefit of the doubt.