Channel NewsAsia 28 Nov 18;
SINGAPORE: The public has been invited to share their views on a proposed ban on the sale of elephant ivory and ivory products in Singapore.
A month-long public consultation was launched on Tuesday (Nov 27) by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to gather feedback from the public on the issue.
"The proposed ban is in line with Singapore’s broader commitment to tackle the illegal elephant ivory trade and support elephant conservation," said AVA.
The proposed "total ban" on local elephant ivory sale will be under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, AVA added.
This means that businesses and individuals will no longer be able to buy or sell all forms of elephant ivory products in Singapore, and public displays of these products will also not be allowed.
The only exception will be the display of ivory and ivory products for educational purposes in places like zoos and museums.
Singapore has imposed a similar ban on the local sales of rhinoceros and tiger specimens since 2006.
A grace period of up to three years will be given to those affected by the ivory ban to decide what they wish to do with their existing stocks of elephant ivory and ivory products.
"Local businesses and individuals who own ivory can consider keeping, donating, or destroying the ivory," AVA said.
Currently, Singapore is party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This means that Singapore has banned international trade on all forms of elephant ivory products since 1990.
However, domestic trade is still permitted if traders show that their items were imported before 1990, or were acquired before the inclusion of the relevant elephant species in CITES.
CITES has since urged countries to consider banning domestic trade as well, with countries like China, Hong Kong, the United States and the United Kingdom taking stricter action against the domestic trade of elephant ivory.
The Singapore Government had previously said it was considering a ban on the sale of ivory and that the implementation details were being worked out.
The sale of ivory products became a hot topic among Singaporeans in August when an online store was slammed for "selling" accessories made of vintage ivory.
It was later revealed that the store was part of a campaign by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to raise awareness about the "shortcomings" of local wildlife protection laws.
There have also been instances of ivory products worth millions being smuggled into Singapore.
During the public consultation in Singapore, those who wish to share their views with AVA can email the authority at AVA_CITES@ava.gov.sg. Members of the public can also send a letter addressed to:
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (Headquarters)
JEM Office Tower, 52 Jurong Gateway Road
#14-01, Singapore 608550
(Attn: QIG/Wildlife – Public Consultation)
Source: CNA/aa(hm)
AVA seeking feedback on ban of elephant ivory sale and display in Singapore
Tiffany Fumiko Tay Straits Times 28 Nov 18;
SINGAPORE -The sale and display of elephant ivory in Singapore may soon be illegal, under a proposed ban by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to strengthen the Republic's stance against the trade in tusks and elephant poaching.
Singapore is among the countries that have banned the commercial import and export of all forms of ivory products since 1990, though the domestic sale of ivory is still allowed if certain conditions are met, such as if sellers can prove that the items were imported prior to the ban.
The AVA is seeking feedback on its proposal to completely prohibit elephant ivory sales in Singapore under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, according to a public consultation launched on Tuesday (Nov 27).
This means that local businesses and individuals will no longer be able to buy or sell all forms of elephant ivory products in Singapore, while the public display of such products will also be banned except for educational purposes, such as at museums or the zoo.
"The proposed ban is in line with Singapore's broader commitment to tackle the illegal elephant ivory trade and support elephant conservation. It also sends a strong signal that Singapore is committed to curb demand for ivory products despite our small and inactive domestic market," the AVA said on the government Reach website.
If the ban is passed, a grace period of up to three years will be provided for ivory owners to decide what to do with their existing stocks, such as keeping, donating or destroying the ivory, the AVA said.
The issue came under the spotlight here in August when an online store claiming to sell "vintage" ivory turned out to be part of a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore campaign to raise awareness of the ivory trade.
Those who wish to provide feedback on the proposal can write to AVA's headquarters or email AVA_CITES@ava.gov.sg by Dec 27.
