Five men have been charged and are now facing separate fines in connection with the unlawful killing of a young female nesting leatherback sea turtle in the La Plaine area on Monday morning.
Hubert Cuffy, Masterville Edgar, Vedel Barry, Aldrin Graham and Omari Graham of La Plaine who pleaded guilty before Magistrate Ossie Lewis this morning were all fined $400 which is to be paid by Thursday May 13, 2010 or they each face three months in jail.
According to the facts of the case presented by the police prosecutor, on Monday, May 10, 2010, at about 6:15 a.m. Constable A. John Baptiste who was on duty at the La Plaine Police Station acted on information received, went to the “Boot Sab” Beach in La Plaine when he noticed what appeared to be blood and fresh tire marks in the sand.
“The officer concluded investigations which led him … a few miles into forest (the heights of La Plaine). He was also accompanied by forest officers,” the prosecutor said.
On arriving a certain area, the officers met the defendant Edgar who led them to the area where the turtle was dumped.
According to the prosecutor, Edgar had told police, he was not responsible for slaughtering the animal and had met the turtle dead on the beach when he had gone for an early morning bath. He then went and called his friend- the other defendants- for help, who later assisted him load to the reptile on his vehicle.
Three of the defendants were arrested yesterday, while one defendant surrendered himself this morning to the police.
The other men denied slaughtering the animal, according to the prosecutor.
The prosecutor informed the court that the said turtle was not marked which indicated that this was its first encounter with humans.
He mentioned that normally, the relevant officials would tag or mark turtles they encountered in order to monitor their habits and where they have been.
None of the defendants had previous convictions.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Lewis expressed his dissatisfaction with what he said was a “minor” penalty for such crime and called for an amendment of that act.
“The only thing about this regulation to species … is that the penalty is still very very minor, lenient. They have been looking for an amendment for a number of years. The maximum penalty is still $400… It’s very sad. I think it’s time they amend the Forestry and Wildlife Act to increase the penalty.
The turtle was ordered to be disposed by the court.
Yesterday, Dominica News Online had reported that one man was arrested.
The 558-pound turtle was brought to the Forestry Division in Roseau, where the media got the opportunity to view the brutally slaughtered reptile.
Security guard for the La Plaine beach, James Corbette who encountered the alleged offender about six miles into the forest with a dead turtle in his pickup, said the other perpetrators fled.
“When I got the call this morning it was about 6:15 a.m. and they tell me it have a turtle on the beach, when we reach we didn’t meet any turtle but we saw the blood and the transport trail, and we follow it up about six miles up in the forest, and we discover the turtle. We saw guys running. One stayed there because he couldn’t run because he had his vehicle there and then we called the police,” Corbette said.
Assistant Forest Officer Stephen Durand, who also spoke to media, said that a current minimal fine of $400 or in default three months in prison for such an offense, does not serve as a deterrent for this illegal activity.
“If you had a fine say probably, $25,000 to $50,000 that would be a deterrent. Persons engaged in that type of activity would ask themselves a question. And some if the individuals involved in that opportunity they are repeat offenders. That is a habit for them. They have been poaching these animals for years … It’s not like, you know, a new person coming up. Some of these activities are carried out by seasoned poachers,” he said.
Durand said that several attempts have been made by his ministry to have this law amended which has been delayed for over a decade.
“This (penalty) is something that we really don’t like talking about… Obviously this fine should be amended… we’ve suggested amendments to legal affairs through our ministry, that is within the last 10-11 years; we have not been seeing any action at all. Rather than you know, we see results those things just keep on delaying,” Durand said.
“There’s also an amendment or enacting the Fisheries Regulations. There is also in there regulation for sea turtle conservation as well. .. What is in the Fisheries regulations is probably what we need. This regulation hasn’t been enacted as well so there’s is a total delay everywhere,” he noted.
Durand informed that it is an offense for persons to take turtles engaged in nesting on the beach, irrespective of what time of year.
He mentioned a few initiatives that the forestry Division has undertaken in order to create awareness about the conservation of turtles to the general public over the years, and allow for them to freely come on the beach to nest.
“In terms of conservation we’ve been doing a lot of work. As you know we’ve had several programs– conservation programs, within the last 10 to 15 years involving the Rosalie Sea Turtle Initiative… we did quite a lot of work on that. In terms of our raising our people’s awareness on the whole idea of protecting sea turtles, particularly endangered species … most of the species nesting on island are endangered species and this one is also an endangered species,” Durand explained.
The assistant forest officer said that he sees turtles here as an avenue to generate income for communities.
“They can work with hotels…. local persons can get involved in a very organized manner allow people to see turtles engaged in nesting rather than kill the turtles,” he added.
– By DNO Correspondent
Save the turtles!!
There are fewer Cawain/Leatherbacks in the world than people living in Roseau. Kill the nesting mother and you kill the next generation. Out of 100 eggs, only one will survive to adulthood.
Any turtle born on Dominica, if she survives will return to the same beach to nest 18-20 years later when she matures.
Costa Rica makes 1million USD from folks sitting on a beach waiting to see a turtle nest, if they dont they see stars and relax on a Caribbean beach, they also get to learn about turtle biology and enjoy locally made snacks. If they do see a turtle, they will remember it for the rest of their lives.
Trinidad also has a lot of turtle tourism.
just educate the people.there is somthing to learn from this to all who as intention.
You Turtle eating poachers and your cohorts think of the turtles as a bank account. You can leave off the interest. However, if you eat every dame thing that crawl up the beach you are eating away the principal and the interest. At the end you will end up with nothing and you will resort to eating the pictures of turtles in books and magazines.
You want meat ,shell, eggs. Start eating rats.
To you (concerned) let me start by telling you that i think you need a reality check for saying such about the people of Laplaine.We are very educated but ion the other hand that has always been part of our culture.Never have i heard for the past 53years of my life that it was against to hunt turtle ,until some crap ass white man try to bring that stupid law to our land.We are a village of desent people ,loving and sharing people thats why people like you would and is still doing as of today ,runing up to Laplaine on vaccations and you all never seem to want to leave when the time is up.It was all the shallop,tetewii,crabs .be it the land ,sea or river carbs,manicou,agouti,malfiney,lazar,cawine,cacadoo,bushaglow,shasha lamb,saywinal,banmovey,christmas,mayday,cricket,rounders,liveir saisa wii,tawbawii,botsabe,nice mangoes,sugar cane ,the best calallou,yampen,biggest dashen,limes ,grapefruit,coals,even dry wood you and your people alike would carry out of Laplaine .So now tell me if we were not living from the land ?so what the front is the so called gaurds doing pestering people who wants to make a meal out of the land?Biggest turtle eaters are the law abidding men and women of the land.You think the forest gaurds not eating their share to?you must be carzy if you think that they are not .They cook it far up in the bushes where the local men dont go cause they find it to far to go fix a meal for their family.Come on now if you really think that Laplaine is behind God’s back ……..i ask you to will and come again my dear……dam fool as you will for ever be
I had a bowl of that meat 3 weeks ago, oh my god- that was so good. From my childhood i have been eating turtle, and believe it or not thats y i dont go 2 the doctor- thank god. Strong and healthy-give us a break let us eat our turkle.
It is turtle Morón! Maybe if you had taken time out to go to school and educate yourself instead of hunting turtles you would have known.
You know what – I think that our people need to be educated. Noone is saying the turtle meat is not delicious. I had it several times during my childhood and I loved it. The issue is that we need to conserve the turtle population that we have and the only way we can do that is to allow to pregnant females to successful lay their eggs; and allow the eggs to hatch. That is so simple – why can’t we Dominicans understant that. If you kill all the females that are coming to hatch, in a few years there will be no more turtles for us to enjoy.
Don’t blame any white man – we should follow world issues and see what is happening to our environment and the effects of the ozone layer depletion on our world.
Come on people let us Dominicans continue to act responsibly. During hunting season please do not hunt the animals as they are nesting. If you don’t know which animals are the endangered species, please call the Forestry division and ask.
Hang Them, Execute Them,Murder Them, Their Punishment ought to be the same as what was handed to the Turtle and cries of that sort !…….People,People, Have we lost our minds?,our rationale, or our sense of reasoning?…Aren’t we a civilized and supposedly living in a civilized society?…Or maybe we are too wrapped up in our cloak of hypocrisy,which suppresses all these fundamental qualities that makes up a sane and progressive society…Well i say,lets remove this cloak now…We must be rational in or thinking,and our actions.We must exercise sound judgments on the scale of justice…There will be certain actions by members of our society(and sometimes illegal,unlawful), that will enrage us. But when those circumstances occur, we must try to maintain our cool…..The actions of those men were deplorable,despicable,brutal and cruel.I am not in anyway condoning it. But we must think through issues and put things in perspective…We are talking about an ANIMAL(Beast) and MEN(Human Being).Are the lives of Animals worth more than that of Humans?..NO…(and i surely hope not)…. I am only infusing this in reference to the cries of my opening statement…Some Animals are prey of some Humans…Yes i know the Turtles are an endangered species and should be left alone….this one should not have been killed,because it was in the process of laying its eggs,or had already done so, and most probably on this very beach where it was born….I am quite sure that there are Laws to protect these animals against cruel acts like this by Man…But Dominicans have been eating Turtle meat for years and years.It’s part of their culture,their livelihood …living off the Land and the Sea and their Rivers..have we forgotten this,or should they abandon their ways and part culture all of a sudden?..Hypocrites!…Let he who is without sin cast the first stone….If we are serious about saving the Turtles,why don’t we have a more organized and structured system in place to better protect these Turtles? Like making Rosalie Beach a National Park,Keeping statistics with the time of year when the Turtles will be coming ashore to lay and marking the beach area where they lay.Keep the nest safe by monitoring and guarding them whilst in the incubation and hatching process.Build offices,employ Guards, and in some cases some Tanks for the little ones. The People from La-Plain will be employed for such.That will be a very nice Tourist attraction in an organize way,controlled by the Govt. Then and only then we will prevent the poaching. I know that i am going to get a lot of flack for this but i am only telling it like it is and how it should be…Please read through my comment first and try to understand my point of view.
We are living in a Democratic Country,with Laws. Laws are one of the essential fabrics of a Democracy..and we must obey those Laws…. Also, the Laws are for ALL, not for SOME……..
Thank you…..All the best…..and.. Peace Profound!!!!!
MANCHAT!
i feel so sorry for the la plaine people. but then again they are behind god’s back. what do they know?
it is so sickening to hear these savages say those things.is it only turtle meat you people eat down there? what about beef,goat.motton,chicken fish? i just don’t understand why the poor little turtle. are you people that hungry? i don’t think they shouyld even find peopple who commit these crimes, just give their ass a 20 years sentence and that would make me happy.there i believe people would think twice.
this person is a fool to say la plaine is brhind god’s back and they dont know better….i feel so sorry for the person who said that they dont know better….this has been a la plaine tradition for years but i think that this needs to stop and leave the turtles alone….and @the person concrened get your facts right about la plaine..
eat the turtle self
Every body in Laplaine eats turtle meat dont worry with those so called turtle gaurds.The police,teachers,nurses,schoool kids ,babies,granma granpa, strangers ,,visitors even the forestry gaurds them eating the turtle so to all of u guys that are casting those silly remarks come to Laplaine and see for all u self wen a turtle get caught who eating it .The people know where to find it and wen is their relatives that kill it their jaws close up ………..sackay mautie zou ca di zou paka manjie?alay gadieu an twizen yow zou ca wie wala tortie ya way
Beacause everyone is doing it -even those that should be an example..that doesnt make it right, that doesnt erase it from the law books.
If we are priding ourselves as nature island of the Caribbean, we must seriously amend our laws to reflect the reality on the ground. I mean everyone knows about the Leather back turtle is an endangered species. We must do better, charging the men $400 each is an insult to the family of the leather back turtle.
The authorities should have impound the vehicle that was used during the commiting of the crime, and charge the driver, suspend his license for driving for 6months to a year. Make an example of them. When will we wake -up in Dominica, and be a nation of law?…..
Grand Bay, trust me, you making perfect sense.
Eat the turtle…u know how long i want to hold one. I never even got the chance to see one. But i like how it taste. Wish i was there to help them man eat that. lol
Anybody who support these poachers and eating of these creatures are just ignoramus..Like I said in my previous comment these creatures epitomize what make’s Dominica the nature isles of the Caribbean and WE the citizens of Dominica need to make sure that Dominica image is not tainted by this savage incident. I really think the Dominican government need to amend the law to make it more stiff and harsh to poachers and more importantly include provision in the law addressing people who buy and eat endanger creatures not just leather back turtles but all endanger creatures that reside or visit Dominica… It’s really sad reading some of these comments I didn’t know some Dominicans were so backwards it seems like some people taking this incident lightly…SHAME “SHAKING MY HEAD”
DA4LYFE
IT IS SO SAD TO SEE SO MUCH MONEY IS SPEND AROUND THE WORLD AND EVEN IN THE CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES TO PROTECT AND STUDY THOSE ENDANGERED SPECIES AND WE THE ISLANDERS SEE THIS ANIMALS AS FOOD WHILE OTHERS SEE AT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LOCALS AND FOREIGNERS. DID YOU ALL KNOW A CERTAIN CARIBBEAN COUNTRY IS MAKING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST WATCHING THOSE TURTLE LAY. IT IS ASHAME TO SEE ONE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS MAGAZINE BOASTING ABOUT THE NATURE ISLE “THE HEAVEN FOR WHALES” AND SOON TO COME IF WE DON’T PROTECT THIS ANIMALS THE WORLD WILL KNOW……
DOMINICA IS JUST A ”TINY SPEC” ON THE MAP AND YET STILL THESE PEOPLE TRY THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT EVEN SMALLER!
WHEN THESE TURTLES ALL DIE OUT 2 THINGS ARE GONA HAPPEN:
1) OUR KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO EVER WITNESS A LIVE TURTLE
2) THE SO CALLED TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL NO LONGER BRING IN MONEY
NOW, FOR THOSE LEGISLATORS WHO MAKE THE PUNISHMENT FOR THESE CRIMES SEEM LIKE AN INSULT OR JOKE,….YOU’RE WORTHLESS CRAPS!!!!
HONESTLY DO THESE PEOPLE THINK WITH BRAINS?
MY FELLOW DOMINICANS, YOU ALL A DOOMED!!!!!!!
MAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE AND MAKE A CHANGE
$400 is not money. they need to stop doing that s***. let them turtle go free. in have money in turtle nesting.
I applaud the capture and prosecution of these culprits. But the greater point here is that we have a problem that have to be addressed- Greed, Ignorance, Poor/ outdated legislation and Selective Enforcement of the law.
… The thing is, those who are supposed to enforce the law are the one’s taking the countryband from these poachers. we can talk all we want but unless we take effective steps to limit the consumption of turtle meat the problem will continue. The consumption of turtle meat is a thriving industry in Dominica that will NOT stop until we address the issues with consumption whether its the consuming cops or government officials that believe that this meat is an aphrodisiac (enhacement of sexual prowess)
educate the ignorant
They know that it was wrong to do that’s why they ran. They have enough education and common sense to understand that the rules of the country says that it’s wrong. So they just don’t have to do it.
Never hear more crap in my life. Next they will say not kill the birds. So much problems with killing HUMANS in DA for drugs dem fellas worried about a turtle. You people make me sick.
IMHUMANE, THAT’S ALL YOU ARE IN HUMANE
You idiot, based on your sentence structure alone you can tell that you are a moron! If one has no respect for self, it reflects in his social interactions with his community ( to include his physical environment)!
I hope when the little revenue that you all receive from Eco tourism ends, you do not hunt each other, sa kwe sot,
so you don’t agree that the wildlife needs to be protected? all that is part of our tourism sector which by extension can bring revenue into the country… you are the sick one… the law needs to be changed to increase the penalty (i.e. fine and jail time)
Never thought I would have to read such nonsense. The information for education is there. But like the old saying goes, YOU CAN BRING THE HORSE TO WATER BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE IT DRINK. Can you imagine if you can make the horse drink what can you do with a mule ??
your so right
The way people hunt is like the never see food i mean every turtle u people see allu wan to kill and when they nestin no dout. i mean i have hunted in the old day but now i cheaking to many people hunting one day all u will cheak where all the turtles go. i still see a lot of leather backs but the green i see less often cant even tell u when last i have seen a halk bill. i say give them a the hunting a break in not like we starving let out children see wat a turtle looks like. look at what hapned to the diab (the flight-less bird dat our grandparents talked of)
It has been said by scientists that an adult leather back turtle starts laying when they are about 20 to 30 years. Out of the hundreds of eggs they lay, less than 10 survive. We still donot know which ones are surviving whether male or female. The male turtle doesnot come on the shore and it is the temperature of the sand that determines the breed of the turtle. If we continue to kill these turtles, at the rate we are going then our children will never see one nesting on the sand in our island.
We the older ones may not live to see their offsprings come to lay so i think that we should be grateful that we are blessed to see them and leave them alone so that others can see them too.
Turtles are really endangered creatures and they are so…important. Read up you people who dont know about these creatures
The leather back turtle meat help men make children.which one is more important,protecting the turtle or having a beautiful human life on earth.we need more people in la plaine.free up my people
ALL FROM AN UNEDUCATED MIND, SPEND 5 MINUTES READING OUP ONT HE TURTLES AND YOU WOULD SPEAK DIFFERENTLY
So when all the turtles are gone or no longer come to our waters that will be the end of La Plane ?? This is a serious thing so let’s be serious about it.
lol u na ez na
That is a VERY IGNORANT statement to make. If poachers would stop killing these turtles more of them could reproducing , causing an increase in numbers that would eventually make the SEASONAL hunting of turtles legal like other animals in Dominica. In the meantime i recommend visiting your doctor for any reproduction issues you may be experiencing
2 LAPLAINE
i don’t think that the rosalie initative was a failure. 2 weeks ago there was an invitation to witness the turtles layingeggs during the night. if it was a failure, WHY INVITE THE PUBLIC TO WITNESS AN EVENT? u better chek again. U LITTLE JOKER.
I cannot believe that people still do no understand the effect their actions can have on the future. Maybe the penalty is something that could have been considered in one of the 3 seatings of parliament.
@ HANG HIM
STOP BEING A DRAMA QUEEN, THERE ARE A LOT MORE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN DOMINICA RIGHT NOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU SWEEP UNDER THE RUG. STUPES.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HERE IS FOR THE FORESTRY DIVISION TO SENSITIZE THE PEOPLE OF THE ACT AND THE CONSEQUENCE AS THIS ACTIVITY. THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE IN THE COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES AND THIS TRADITION IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL.
@ MR. DURAND I HAVE LIVED IN LAPLAINE FOR THE PAST 36YEARS AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CONSERVATIVE EFFORTS THAT I AM AWARE OFF, THE ROSALIE TURTLE INITIATIVE WAS A FAILURE BECAUSE AFTER THE EGGS WERE TRANSFERED TO THE BEACH AT ROSALIE THE DOGS ON THE COMPOUND ATE THEM ALL…
NEGRO PLEASE!
ITS TIME THIS S*** STOPS!!! WE ARE IN 2010 NOT 1800’S!
I BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE STUPID CRIMES DESERVES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, ITS TIME DOMINICA STEPS UP AND MOVE FORWARD!
CONTINUE WITH THESE STUPIDNESS AND PRETTY SOON FROM NOW, DOMINICA WILL BE S***! I HOPE YOU ALL WILL ME ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE THERE WHEN IT TURNS TO A DUMP!
On which planet are you living , to say the rosalie initiative was a faliure tells me that you are way off in space
Like previously stated, the people know that it is wrong. Maybe more information can be brought to the people, but the fact is that they know that it is wrong. Maybe too if the fine was $5000.oo or 12 months in jail they people would understand better.
Turlte eating is a tradition. that is what all the people that lived a century that’s wat they used to eat in the past. Turtle, crayfish, crabs, manicou, caca-douh. so what wrong with you all people. I don’t believe that turtles can go extinct. People behave, all u self and stop talking foolishness. What about the Japanese that killing all the Whales in Japan? d/ca to small
with all is one set that gettin the money to gaurd the turtles. is one family
Whales have been protected for over 50 years to prevent their extinction. The same thing will happen to turtles if we don’t protect them.
So Jolly , In africa, having sex with virgins and babies to cure diseases, was regarded as a tradition… so should they keep on doing it? Ridiculous!!!! Some traditions need to stop!, start educating yourself and others and stop this ridiculous nonesense…man continues to be the earths greatest threat and person with thoughts like yours are not helping the situation at all
The foolishness you refer to is that the information is there about the reproductive cycles of these animals. We need to learn that we can’t just eat all we want all the time and expect there to always have. That’s not how it works. Stop making Dominica and Dominicans look so stupid to the world.
The enviroment in which some people live, often times influences their behavior, and sometimes that malicious action is displayed in the brutality ex[ressed by these men.
the lesson to be learned here is not so much about what other nationals will think, but it says much more about how we think of our our own selves.
The enviromental laws to protect wild life must become more enforceable and more strict to a point that people who think that living to slaughtering these animals is a cheap way to hunt would change thier mind.
A public scrutiny should be made of these people so that others whose intentions have not been amended would think otherwise.
That’s my take, what’s yours?
To the pissed off Laplain person living abroad; PLEASE REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE WE CERTAINLY DO NOT NEED YOU IN OUR COUNTRY. SUCH STUPIDITY CAN’T BE MADE TO INVEST OUR INTELLIGENT DOMINICANS!
THE FINE SHOULD BE HIGHER! SO MUCH FISH IN THE SEA! yOU WANT TO KILL TEH TURTLES WHO ARE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES!
is people like you we do not need round our village. is people like you that cause laplaine to be how it is. i hope when man can not get to eat cause things hard an come an steal what you have it won’t be a problem. is peolpe like you that i guess not from laplaie, but then if you are from there, is people like you that preventin our young generation from knowin what it was like for our fore father to live off the land. all the time all you talking about eatin local… but is also people like you that will feel the warth of the young people like me when every time a white man come an talk his s*** an all you repeat it to us will tell all you Go to hell. time will tell for people like you. is now young laplaine man will no how to watch them older people. hope young man will see who DIRTY
Finally. Bravo. I think it should be at least $5000.oo or a year in jail.
I share the sentiments of the majority of responders to this inhumane action by a turtle poacher; however, in order for us to curb this and further destruction of our environment there should be a vigorous educaiton and awareness program instituted by the Division to cover the entire island.
A suggested slogan could be: “From Kindergarten to Adulthood – Let’s Protect our Wildlife.” Have essay competitions, poster drawings(kindergarten), and role play the effects an extinct wildlife can have on our “Nature Island”. Perhaps this have already been tried, nevertheless a refresher is not an over kill.
We should be proactive and not reactive.
God bless the Commonwealth of Dominica.
This almost made me cry. So terrible to see…Humans can be so cruel to each other so it’s no surprise that they will be even more so to animals.
the thing is already dead why not justy give the man his meat insted of doing away with it maybe or all u taking it home fine him but let him take the meat that meat should not be wasted boy i like that meat when you cook that good lorddd i bet i would have gotten some of that meat
that’s just sad…aren’t they endangered?? that’s just wrong
Is this a joke or what? Thats why Dominica will never move foward! A bunch of retards thats in power, when someone commits such a horrific crime as this, something that can change our future, you telling me you charge $400? THIS IS AN INSULT!!!!!
LORD PLEASE REMOVE ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM GOVERNING DOMINICA,CUZ OUR FAITH IS DOOMED IN THEIR HANDS!
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!
THIS PEOPLE NEEDS TO BE EXECUTED!!!!!!! THAT’S WHY I PREFER COUNTRIES LIKE CUBA!
well go cuba. cause people like you doe know what it taste like and doe know what it does do for us. the situation jus goin an get worst. an one day is not jus d turtle that goin an die. when we ready to take our beach back to do what we want. problems
YOU ARE SICK!
YOU DESERVE TO DIE LIKE THIS POOR ANIMAL DID! WHAT ON EARTH DOES IT DO FOR YOU? SO MANY FISHES AND OTHER FORMS OF MEATS AVAILABLE AND YET YOU CHOOSE TO KILL AND ENDANGERED ANIMAL…SOMETHING THAT THE NEXT GENERATION HAS A SLIM CHANCE OF EVER WITNESSING IN LIFE!
WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU?
I PRAY THAT SOMEONE KILLS YOU IN SUCH A BRUTAL WAY, AND THAT U FEEL EVERY OUNCE OF PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU ARE JUST SO EVIL!!!!! AN EMBARRASSMENT TO YOUR COUNTRY….IF ONLY I KNEW WHO YOU WERE I WOULD HAVE DONE MY FELLOW DOMINICANS A FAVOR.
WAY PAPA…………..$400 TALKING LIKE AN UNEDUCATED FOOL……………………………………..ur best respond to the situtation is asking God to kill the person the same way the tutle die………………………ppl dont pray for these shit, you cant go on ur knees asking god to murder someone………………………
well go Cuba nah… u talking s*** now, how can u say that about people? if it was your family i’m sure u wouldn’t say that. Get real!
ALL THEM GURADS DAT DERE NOW WAZ AGAINST D WHITE MAN AN HIS LAW ON D TURTLE AS HE MAKE D MONEY HE LEAVE THEM AN GO. AN ALL OF THEM WANT 2 MAKE DERE OWN NOW AN SELLIN OUT DERE FRIEND THEY USE 2 CALL …
THEY SAY THEY GOIN AN GIVE D MEAT 2 D NEEDY BUT THEY DAM LIE, IN DERE DAM STOMACH IN GOIN. DAM IT….
WEN PPL COOKIN IT THEY CALL WRONG NUMBERS ,AND CALL DE GUARDS BY NAME AND SAY IT IS READY.
TELL THEM POLICEMEN AN GUARDS THEY EATIN 2. ALL OF THEM IN IT.
the punishment should be a kool cootla behind their neck like what they did to the turtle…how would they like that eh!!!!
lol …hmmm
Quite funny (Lol).
This is the type of issue that Ron Green and his band … should be taking to Parliament. Ron why haven’t you pressured the government to amend the laws to give further protection to the turtles of YOUR CONSTITUENCY? Do you have any idea the amount of attention that the turtles can bring to Laplaine? Get with the program man..Lets see if Pepper is a better more competent man than you to take care of the turtles
This is a barbaric act! To all the people who indirectly Support this act by consuming these endangered animals; you are just as guilty.
It is time for some concerted effort by policy makers, law enforcement and the community at large to stop these acts. Dominica is marketed ad an “Eco tourism destination” if this continues to happen and word of such inhumane treatment of animals are publicised, there can be negative repercussions for Dominica’s Eco-tourism marketability.
How would these individuals feel if someone did that to them! Fines have to be increased as Mr Durand stated to have the deterrent effect.
They say turtle meat does make you perform…
I understand the guys predicaments, who knows, maybe their wives or girls wanted to leave them
i don’t get these guys.they are well aware that the only reason these turtles come ashore is to do onething and onething only lay eggs.yet they slaugther these animals and to make it worst the still take the eggs.the law is so plain.its okay to catch turtles out at sea so if is turtle you want go out in cannal and catch you turtle nah.how ever leather backs are not to be huntered period.the laws should be ammended for the ones who don’t allow these animals to do their thing on land.should be mandatory $50,000 or 3 years in jail.
I love DNO but sometimes it annoys me that their sensorship is so rigid that I cannot tell people like you a good Lang Mamma in proper English.
AMEND WHICH LAW…GIVE THE PEOPLE A TIME THEY COULD CAPTURE A FEW OF THE TURTLES AFTER THEY LAY THEIR EGGS….YOU CANNOT LET ALL OF THIS HIGH PROTEIN MEAT GO TO DIE IN THE SEA…..DO NOT MESS WITH MY PEOPLE CULTURE… ALL THE TURTLES WHICH LAY ON THE BEACH WERE BORN IN LA PLAINE.THEY BELONG TO THE PEOPLE OF LAPLAINE…..LOOK LIKE ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION WILL TAKE PLACE IN LA PLAINE SO WE CAN HUNT WHAT BELONG TO US.
Them fellas have in their head turtle meat can cure a weak ‘ban’ , when bois bande and seamoss not working they slaughtering poor turtle to ‘raise up de dead’……if you ask those fellas that eating turtle half of them have it at the back of their head that turtle meat going to turn them into a bedroom dynamo….because truth be told, de meat tasting just like beef and beef readily available and LEGAL….so I doh see why man have to go and commit crime just to eat turtle meat, so much meat that selling all over de place in dominica? Some of all you doh lie, plenty police eating turtle steady, and they so know it illegal, they calling it by a code name, you will hear one of them saying ‘I cooking a thing on saturday….pass eh’ well de thing is turtle.
The powers that be have to increase de penalty, because $400 dollars is a small price to pay, for them man that figure that is de only cure for their ban problem.
as an owner of 2 pet turtles my self, I am very annoyed by this babaric behaviour. some persons in dominica are still primitive and uneducated.
this violaters, criminals should be gone straight to prison for such an act. killing of a defenceless animal
i am really shocked and angry by this behaviour.
i must say thatks to the persons who followed the pickup and was able to identify the criminals.
i hope measures will be put into place that such babaric acts do not happen again
shame shame on those persons who did this
you all are still behaving like savages
Some people just don’t need to even comment on this story. This is not a joke. Turtles are endangered because their numbers are dwindling. When we eat them all, then what???? Huh???
Seeing this turtle is all chopped up is sad, but i will tell you, it tastes real GOOD when cooked properly.
Ministers of Forestry & Wildlife and Environment, ……….please support your staff. ……….Empower them. At the next seating of the Country’s Parliament……”May 21 (lol) please facilitate the forestry officers; ammend the law accordingly so that the people of LA PLAINE could be protected by those poachers who cannot understand the importance of sustainable development………… Sorry Mr. Durand……..Its been 10 – 15 years, those there cannot understand………… submit your recommendations to the HOT SEAT…… or the People’s Parliament……….. or BLOCK THE BEACH AT TABERIE..(lol)…………… The powers that be WILL UNDERSTAND…. or you will continue to bla bla bla…………….I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF…….
This is most unfortunate.
We are one of the foremost dive destinations in the Caribbean,
what a headline for our divers who come here to see these fabulous underwater creatures in
their natural environment.
SHAME!!!!
$400 FINE? Is that a joke?
Put into perspective the revenue gained from the dive tourism sector
and then decide if this isn’t just a shame.
I totally agree – increase the fine to $50,000.00 and 1 year hard labor in prison on the first offense, double the fine and 5 years the next time they get caught.
make him an example so that others wont want to follow. But it have LAW officers go to feast on it at peoples home
It’s dead already and they have someone to pay the price,
what happens to the meat. I would eat a nice piece with dumplin.
You are very funny…….
Darn it now !!!!!!!!!!!!! that was always the lively hood of the southeast people especially for the Laplaine folks.It saddens me to know some white … man telling Dominicans that they shouldnt havest the turtles of our land.And to the security so called gaurds i bet you guys eat the turtle in hiding ,ask me how i konw ? i sure can tell how i do know.Go sort your familes out find some other jobs to do stop looking for people ,and more over about six (6) miles in the bush all you find those people and arrested the man? J ah didnt say that any ways.But i must say to each his own ya!!!!!!!
jel moi say jel cabrit.Tau toe tau toe zou cay di say mal yow feir zou.
..
It is people like you that leave Dominica, go abroad and make us all look stupid,
The turtle is an endangered species (check your dictionary for the meaning of that word). We are known as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean” and with such a name, how does killing an endangered species look in the eyes of the world?
What does that have to do with ‘white men’ telling us what to do?
Its amazing that in this time and age we have people who are so close minded and ignorant.
You are so full of bull. I am already pissed off and just reading your contribution here is getting me more angry. I sometimes wish that we were not so democratic in some ways, so that articles like yours could simply be dumped after sensorship rather than being posted. I happen to work in Physical Planning and Conservation, and I can tell you that at the rate which turtle populations are disappearing globally, you will be lucky if your great-grandchildren ever gets to see a sea turtle. Eventually, after extinction sets in, we will only be able to show children pictures of turtles.
@laplainliving abroad u r such an a**
so is food Dominica doesn’t have for the man to be killing an endagered turtle that he know he shouldn’t be eating in the first place… hmm
what u talking about? he killed it because its a rare exotic meat which means alot of money by the pounds… he is a pig and he needs to be shap just like how he chap shelley poor shelley i will miss u my love
that is part of skerritt next level jail them
This is totally unacceptable. These turtles have now become a part of our tourism product and this is a poor image of what we are actually doing with this product. Forestry and Fisheries Division should create more pressure on the legislature to enact and ammend the necessary laws to protect these creatures.
Absolutely right ….the penalty should be way more stiffer than $400 and 3-4 months in prison..Those turtles epitomize what make Dominica the nature isles of the Caribbean….So please gov’t officials send a message to the future poachers of Dominica letting them know the penalty for poaching these endanger creatures is stiff and harsh..
DA4LYFE
That’s just wrong, animal cruelty
omg! I once discovered this massive turtles on the beach in Castle Bruce and i spent hours almost every nite of the season, looking at them. What marvelous creatures they are!!!!!!
These people act like in all the chicken, goat, beef and all sorts of other meats that are available on the island whether local or not, they choose to harm these poor animals. They take YEARS to grow, and only a handful survives in hundreds of eggs laid.
Sooner or later our kids will only know these magnificent creatures from books and illustrations, not being able to see them in real life.
I AM SO FURIOUS RIGHT NOW!
THIS MAN SHOULD BE HANGED! ITS TIME CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BE RE-INTRODUCED INTO DOMINICA’S JUSTICE SYSTEM.
FOR THESE ”EVIL” PEOPLE DOES NOT DESERVE TO LIVE!
POOR THIS HARMLESS CREATURE… MY ENTIRE EVENING JUST GOT RUINED!
Whoever you are I agree with you 100 %!! Name the politicians who consume these meat and the Police Officers too.. Maybe I might see them in my neck of the woods and confront them! Totally Ridiculous then we say we are the nature isle? It might soon be changed to the murder isle
What a shame nshe came on the beach to breed her little ones and that is her fate. Would the perpetrators be happy if that that was the fate of their wives or girlfriend trying to generate and that was their fate. What a shame. Dominicans do not respect any thing any more.
The fine for killing a sea turtle should be measured in pounds how much the turtle weigh and how old.I hope dominicans know there are very few places in the world u see turtles that big.We should learn to treasure the fact that our island is a natural nesting place for these sea monsters.
murderer! hate reading these stories! pleaseee stop killing the animals they have feelings too!
Well is now the Animal rights People from the U.S and World over going to desend on DA.to protest after they see that.Papa met zort fini bat!!! Boi look ting.Alas!
i dont know why things take so long to come in effect in dominica. the law needs to be amended quickly so that examples would be made of some of those persons. $ 400 is nothing to pay
Sea Beef….hmmm….It dead already,well sell de meat nuh….Next time we’ll stop dem bad poachers…However,it would be a damn shame to waste that sweet sea beef,oh lord….Don’t waste the sea beef….How much forestry want per pound?
I agree, that fine is too small. A fine between $25,000 to $50,000 or 6 months imprisonment would definitely make people refrain from such activities. That is so cruel.
The very people who are suppose to legistlate the law and up the penalty in order to deter would be offenders are the very ones receving the turtle in a hush, hush, manner so go figure that`s why the process is stalled. it is alledged that recently some one ate a good turtle stew at a politician`s house.??????????????
Yes..like de ex-police dem……voler!
I SAY CHAP THEM UP JUST AS THEY DID TO THIS POOR ANIMAL… THE DOMINICANS WHO BUY THE MEAT FROM
THESE GUYS NEED TO BE PUNISHED AS WELL START BREAKING SOME ARMS
GOOD WORK, I ONCE DID WRONG NOW I AM ON THE STRAIGHT PATH…CONSERVATION IS THE WAY TO GO….GREAT WORK
Alas he really do the turtlea wickedness the way it cut up
Yep,…all they had to do was turn the Turtle over on its back…But on a serious note,these Turtles should be left alone when ever they come ashore to lay their eggs,and should be allowed to return to sea..unharmed….Please ,please,you guys must refrain from such babaric behavior! The brutal way in which that animal was slaughtered, oh my, these pleople are amatures..Lase sa ti mal…..
It’s not a good reflection of Da.from an overseas point of view!….These Leather Backs are an endangered species and are protected…..There might be outcry,outrage and repercusions.Look out D/CA.!.
Think that they should give the turtle to the people of la plaine.the animal is dead already,cannot put it to waste.I also think a few of these animals should be able slaughtered after they have lay there eggs.times are hard and is a god send for human consumption.
How about they slaughter your morher, sister or child after child birth? Times are hard , so grow chickens and farm the GNIKCUF soil. Turn the backward word around you will figure it out.
The first few times I ate turtlemeat was at the dwelling house of a prominent police officer. Second time, another prominent officer of the law carried it to a cookout.
My point is that if the law-men themselves are involved then the battle to preventing poaching is a tough one.
But note to the fishery officers, the awareness raising does help! I know better now and today I would strongly advocate against such acts if faced with a situation where I had to.
Amend the law…this is ridiculous!!!! These ppl are something else…