Fireworks harm and even kill certain animals

May 28, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

On Monday May 23, 2016 during a rehearsal for the Independence Flag-Raising Ceremony in Georgetown, the organizers of the event saw it fit to set off fireworks at Durban Park. Now this means that fireworks are going to be a part of the events associated with the celebrations of the Independence Anniversary on and after May 26. This was the first time that an Independence Flag-raising ceremony was not be held at the National Park, Thomas Lands. Previous fireworks for Independence and New Years have been set off north of the Georgetown seawall – over the Atlantic Ocean safely away from populated areas and away from green areas.
The decision to use fireworks in such close proximity to the Bird Sanctuary and the National Zoo in the Botanical Gardens was selfish and heartless. I was at Durban Park during the rehearsal and I saw how many birds scattered upon the massive explosions. The Bird Sanctuary was within 200 metres of the explosions and birds asleep in their nests at night were bound to be startled and disoriented by the massive firework munitions. Those that did not die from the shock waves probably scattered far away and did not return. This has happened in many places before. Why have done this in a city and country in which we boast of going green, caring for the natural environment and everything in it?
Fireworks of this magnitude were no thunder king squib. There is a reason why fireworks of this magnitude are handled by the military. This is not stuff civilians play with. There is a reason why this kind of fireworks has been done north of the seawalls, over the sea – two miles away from this location and not over the heads of people or nearby houses. Do I like to see fireworks? Absolutely, it’s beautiful. But balancing the need for 5 or 10 minutes of pyrotechnic display against emptying out the Botanical Gardens of its avian population is downright foolish – there is no way any sensible person in a ‘Green Economy’ could have approved of this.
Let me hasten to add that the Botanical Gardens are part of this country’s national patrimony. Already in recent years, the Eastern-most section (East of Mandela Avenue) was parceled out to private owners and one embassy. Valuable green spaces are gone thanks to a past government that couldn’t care less about national patrimony and protecting the environment. Now we are seeing a disregard of the natural resources within the remaining part of the garden.
The Guyana Tourism Authority website says this about the Bird Sanctuary: “The Botanical Gardens in the capital city of Georgetown was on November 18, 2011 declared a ‘Bird Sanctuary’ by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. Guyana with over 870 species and counting is a birding hotspot and paradise, and has been described as “the top new neo-tropical birding destination and one of the best birding spots in the world.
The activity was part of a series of activities for Tourism Awareness Month, being observed under the theme “Achieving Service Excellence through Training.”
The Botanical Garden which is an Important Birding Area in Guyana, has a land mass of 185 acres and an amazing over 189 bird species from 41 families. Speaking at the Bandstand in the Botanical Gardens, the Minister said, “We want to guarantee a safe haven for the birds of the Botanical Gardens, and in partnership with the National Parks Commission and the Guyana Amazon Tropical Birds Society, I take great pleasure and pride in declaring the Botanical Gardens as a Birding Sanctuary – the first such sanctuary in Guyana.”
I am calling on the authorities at this last minute to halt further use of fireworks at Independence related celebrations. We can have a good time celebrating the Independence without fireworks. It was not worth the 5 minutes of pyrotechnics to the detriment of the lives of the fauna in the Botanical Gardens and those held captive in the Zoo. Won’t it be ironic if the Jaguar held in the Zoo were to die as a result of the shock suffered from explosions nearby?
Dwayne Hackett

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