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Cabinet’s no-objection to $32.5M petting zoo contract is foolishness – Dr. Luncheon
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon believes that the construction of a petting zoo at the Zoological Park, Georgetown is foolishness.
Though Cabinet headed by President Donald Ramotar gave its no-objection for the award of a $32.5M contract to construct the petting zoo, Dr. Luncheon said he would have never agreed to that.
Children looking at the domestic animals at the petting zoo.
Yesterday, whilst presenting contracts that Cabinet gave its no-objections to, Dr. Luncheon said he was unaware of what the petting zoo is. However, following his press conference a few media operatives enlightened him of the petting zoo concept.
Last year, during an interview with Adonika Spellen, Senior Supervisor of Guyana Zoological Park, this publication was told that the main objective of the petting zoo is to allow greater appreciation for animals and create the distinction between domestic and wild animals.
“It would be an educational area also we’re trying to package as the children’s area for the zoological part. We would have stories about the animals to sensitize people not to abuse the animals,” she had said.
The design of the petting zoo entails turnstiles in the front and stables at the back, providing an escape for animals. Spellen had said the petting zoo would provide visitors the opportunity of interacting with various domestic animals including ducks, goats, cows, and donkeys.
“The children would get a chance to feed the animals, especially the ducks, with feed provided by the zoo in small cups for a small fee,” she had added.
Interaction with animals at the zoo is currently prohibited since the majority of them are considered to be wild.
Dr. Luncheon said yesterday that the petting zoo is not really a zoo since a dog could be placed there and $32.5M should not have been allocated for this project. “I can’t understand… we gon spend so much money for them to go rub a horse and play with dog,” he said.
He believes that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment headed by Robert Persaud should have placed the “petting zoo” in the National Park.
This would also serve the same purpose of having persons interacting with the animals he said. He reflected that years ago there used to be a pony in the National Park.
Cabinet also gave its no-objection to the award of a $20.4M contract to construct a parking lot and bicycle shed at the National Park.
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