What the dolphins cost
Solomon Star 11 Dec 08
THE seven live bottlenose dolphins exported to the Philippines early this week will bring more than $3.1 million to the exporters, documents showed.
The documents show one dolphin is being sold at US$60,000 ($448,000). The Government will receive 25 percent duty of the total value which is about $784,000.
Solomon Islands Mammal Education Centre and Exporters Ltd exported the seven dolphins.
The company last year exported 28 dolphins to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile local environmental campaigner Lawrence Makili said the dolphins will be re-exported to Sentosa Resort in Singapore sometimes next year.
“The dolphins were sent to the Philippines only to be trained there. This is because there’s lack of training facilities here,” Mr Makili said.
He said the Philippine Government confirmed that the dolphins will be sent to Singapore in early 2009.
Mr Makili claimed exporter Chris Porter is paying additional money for the dolphins to be trained in the Philippines.
“According to our sources, the fees paid to the trainers would climb up to some USD$20,000 per dolphin, none of which will find its way into the Solomons.”
Mr Makili said the business does not benefit communities in the Solomon Islands but only drains out our pride and God given resource.
“It only benefits the foreigners, the individual dealers and the government,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources knew very well that the trade benefits few people but continues to entertain it.
Mr Makili added that the number of dolphin export licences was five at the beginning of this year, but has increased to six and could go up next year.
“If the government continues to issue more licences for dolphin export, the number of export each year would reach the maximum of 100 agreed to by the government which would be very unsustainable, given the unknown number of dolphins in our waters.”
By EDNAL PALMER
