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Green monkeys have lunch at the Emperor Valley Zoo, Port of Spain in December, 2021. File photo/Ayanna Kinsale

THE Emperor Valley Zoo in St Ann’s is doing an assessment to determine if any animals were lost because of a noisy fireworks display at the nearby Queen’s Park Savannah on Wednesday night.

THe fireworks were part of the celebrations of TT’s 60th anniversary of Independence. When Newsday visited the zoo on Thursday at about midday, a member of staff said, “Workers and vets are still doing an assessment.”

He urged Newsday to contact the zoo’s board for more details.

Otherwise, on touring the zoo, Newsday saw several small family groups of visitors plus a small youth group with church elders in identical jerseys bearing the group’s name.

One small boy threw a tantrum upon leaving, only to be reassured by a woman that the rest of the family was now coming out too.

The turnout was low to medium, facilitating a comfortable visit in the absence of crowds.

While Newsday could not tell if animals had been disturbed during the previous night’s fireworks, by midday they generally looked quite content. A tiger and a lion were spotted asleep in each of their cages, as were most of the snakes, semi-indoors in their tiny glass enclosures.

A kangaroo was half asleep, sheltering in deep shade in a corner of its yard under a broad-leafed tree against the sun beating down from a virtually cloudless sky over the capital city.

Several quenk sporting coats of black bristles, plus an agouti and her cutest-ever baby (being lovingly groomed by its mother’s tongue) stood contently in ample shade. Two ocelots were fairly mellow, the first with a slightly swollen belly possibly marking pregnancy, in their small spaces.

However, one fellow paced his small enclosure very impatiently, almost to the point of being perturbed, although such moodiness might characterise males of the cat family at mating time.

The zoo had an abundance, possibly over-abundance, of macaws displaying their red and aquamarine plumage, in two cages, one of modest size.

Two giraffes and a zebra seemed content in their enclosures. Also spotted were monkeys, flamingoes, several scarlet ibises and a small otter swimming joyously in his/her outdoor pond.

Noisy fireworks at Independence celebrations two years ago were blamed for the death of a young male kangaroo, Joey, who had recently arrived at the zoo.

On August 17, 2019 the zoo acquired four red kangaroos – two males and two females – bred in captivity at a facility in Texas. Sadly, Joey died just weeks later, after the fireworks display nearby for Independence.

In a statement the zoo squarely blamed his death on the “shock and trauma” caused by the fireworks.

Otherwise, a number of people complained this year and in past years on social media of domestic animals, chiefly cats and dogs, being panicked by fireworks into running away and ending up on roads where they may be knocked down and killed by traffic.

Newsday understands that the fireworks display at the Savannah had a large turnout. Some reports suggested its location was closer to the zoo than in the past.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

After a 13-year hiatus, residents of Fort Island, Region Three are now benefitting from the reintroduction of the ferry service which began on August 27.

The MV Malali will service the island.

The reintroduction of the ferry service was made possible following the PPP/C Administration’s $82 million investment that saw the construction of a new stelling on the island.

The return of the ferry service is also the fulfilment of a commitment made by government upon completion of the stelling back in May.

Fort Island is home to about 95 persons and over 200 persons from the catchment areas. Agriculture is one of the main economic activities of the island.

With the ferry now back in service, persons will not only be able get their produce to the market, but also sell to persons who stop with the ferry on the island.

The island which is also a major tourist destination, is home to Fort Zeelandia which was built in 1744. It is also home to the Court of Policy, a Dutch Heritage Museum which is the only of its kind in Guyana.

It is one of the stops on many of the circuit tours in the Essequibo River. Government has already signaled its commitment to further develop the tourism circuit in the Essequibo.

Transport and Harbour’s General Manager Marcelene Merchant disclosed that the ferry will, “every Saturday while on its way to Bartica, the ferry will make stops to Fort Island Stelling whether it is to drop off or to pick up passengers or their cargo and also on the return from Bartica on Sunday the ferry will also stop at Fort Island.”

However, the General Manager noted that systems are in place should the need arise for the ferry to stop during the week.

“If there are any special request during the week because the ferry don’t usually stop during the week but if there are any special to stop and do any pick up or drop off, well then we will be more than happy to facilitate that,” she stated.

As it relates to cost, adults will pay $100 from Parika to Fort Island and children $60. For adults from Bartica to Fort Island it will cost $420 and $220 for children.

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El presidente del Colegio de Médicos Cirujanos, Víctor Ramos,  dijo en Radio Isla que pronto habrá crisis por la escasez de pediatras en el País.

“ Ahora deben quedar activos como 650(pediatras)  en todo Puerto Rico. Por ejemplo los turnos en las salas de emergencias no se pueden cubrir completos”, dijo Ramos.

“Tener pediatras es un lujo, porque no hay suficientes y ciertamente depende del lugar. Como todos los médicos, reciben ofertas y si no consiguen los contratos a tiempo con las aseguradoras, pues habrá éxodo de pediatras”.

Asimismo, el experto en salud también mencionó que casi ninguno de los médicos recientemente graduados en esta rama están abriendo oficinas en Puerto Rico.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) has appealed for public assistance as it probes Wednesday night’s fatal shooting on Chaussee Road, Castries, while warning individuals bent on engaging in ‘nefarious activity’ that they will face the full brunt of the law.

One man is in critical condition following the shooting.

The police issued a statement on the incident, promising a heightened presence of law enforcement officers to deal with crime.

The complete statement appears below:

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On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, Officers attached to the Special Services Unit, Criminal Investigations Department, Special Patrol Group and Central Police Station, jointly responded to a report of a shooting along Chaussee Road, Castries.

The responding team immediately launched investigations, which included processing of the scene and canvassing of surrounding areas for suspects.

Information obtained during the conduct of investigations confirmed that a motorcar with four occupants was fired upon by unknown assailants.

One male, Eli Joseph, sustained several gunshot injuries about the body, and succumbed at the OKEU Hospital. Another male remains in critical condition at a medical facility.

A joint team of officers attached to the Special Services Unit, along with Central and Northern Divisions of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) pursued a motorcar believed to have been involved in the incident, and located said vehicle in Morne Serpent, Gros Islet.

One male was apprehended in the process and remains in police custody.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with responsibility for the Central Division of the RSLPF, Ronald Phillip, commended officers for their speedy and thorough response following the incident and is calling on members of the public with further information to contact the police expeditiously.

ACP Phillip has dedicated resources to bringing resolution to this matter and is working tirelessly with other Divisional Heads to ensure citizens can yet again feel safe in country.

The ACP further indicated that persons bent on engaging in nefarious activity should expect the full brunt of the law.

The RSLPF remains ever committed to ensuring citizen security.

A call is being made to all law abiding citizens to join our efforts, as there will be heightened police presence and activities moving forward, as we attempt to deal with this scourge.

SOURCE: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force/SLT

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