Chairman of the T&T Veterinary Association Dr Nicholas Mackenzie and the chairman of the Animal Welfare Network, Patricia Green, are in support of a proposal to ban the use of fireworks in residential districts across the country.
The suggestion was made by the chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration, Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, during yesterday’s meeting at the ANR Robinson Room, Parliament, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port -of-Spain.
Mahabir said the Summary Offences Act provides for a $400 fine to be imposed on anyone caught exploding fireworks within 60 feet from the road in a residential area.
He suggested that the distance be increased to 120 feet. He said that would effectively prohibit residents from exploding fireworks in residential areas.
“Fireworks should not be allowed to be deployed in residential areas,” he suggested. Mahabir said if the proposal was made law “ it means, de facto, no resident shall be able to explode these devices.”
Mackenzie said he was in support of the measure.
Earlier, he said the problem was the indiscriminate use of fireworks in the country, insisting that it should be properly regulated. General Manager, Legal, Compliance and Enforcement at the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), Gayatri Badri Maharaj said the proposal may have a positive impact but insisted that the fine should also be increased. She said the EMA was effectively the last resort for dealing with the fireworks problem. She insisted that the EMA was willing to do all it could to assist in addressing the problem.
Green said Mahabir’s proposal may discourage the indiscriminate use of fireworks in the country. She insisted that the fine for breaches should also be significantly increased .
“A change in fine will be more useful. The (existing) fines are ludicrous. A small box of fireworks costs $400,” she added.
She said there was a significant increase in the indiscriminate use of fireworks in communities from Divali to New Year’s Day as citizens celebrated specific occasions.
It was noted that there was not a problem with the Independence Day fireworks display at the Queen’s Park Savannah because there were no houses with animals nearby.
She said in recent years there had been a proliferation of pets being injured as result of the fear cause by fireworks
Mackenzie said the animals, including dogs and cats, suffer distress, fear and anxiety when they try to escape during fireworks explosions.
He said he was aware of “dogs that have jumped 8 feet fences because of fear alone,” adding that “dogs by nature are frightened of flight so they try to survive. Dogs have jumped through glass windows and have been severely injured or even died” during fireworks displays.
He explained that when fireworks exploded a dog or cat was only focused on taking evasive action.
He said: “It is just for survival so there is no reasoning to what they do when they try to escape.”
He also said the animals suffered as a result of fireworks related injuries that were malicious such as cats that have had fireworks strapped to their heads or legs and similarly dogs, iguanas and birds.
“It is absurd that we have a number of reports of malicious cruelty to animals,” he said.
Works and Transport Minister, Rohan Sinanan, proposed that a special police unit be set up to ensure there were no breaches of the noise pollution legislation.
He also recalled his horse jumping over an 8-foot fence and running from Manzanilla to Mayaro after a fireworks explosion
