Last night we took you to Nancy Marin's farm to show you her three newly acquired ostriches. She bought the male and two females as potential breeders for the livestock farm that she's determined to follow through on.
And interestingly, rather than import them, Marin says that the Ostriches were bought right here in Belizean territory. Nevertheless, her possession of these exotic and technically endangered animals is quite controversial.
But as we told you last night she's not the only Belizean keeper of the world's largest birds. And tonight in an as yet unaired clip Nancy explains why she wasn't shy about calling out what she calls a GOB double standard:
Nancy Marin, Aspiring Ostrich Breeder
"I simply have had the vision and the excitement, the enthusiasm to do something different that the world demands, the demand is higher than the production right now in the world and that is why we see all kinds of countries starting to do Ostriches, Belize cannot stay behind once again. It has been too much, we stay behind on everything else so why not Ostrich. The Ostrich you use everything from it, everything is a source of income. The head, the feathers, the meat, the leather, the feet, the bone."
Miguel Depaz, Director Animal Health Department, BAHA
"We would still require conditions to mitigate the risk that exists, I said it was insignificant meaning that a little bit of risk but you still put measures, the ostrich would have to come in with proof of being negative for certain diseases and so that is what we do and having concluded that the risk is insignificant we were prepared to issue an import permit for the ostriches to be imported. Nevertheless we work with other departments and other departments have regulations too and in this case it's a wildlife we're dealing with and hence wildlife is governed by SITEES, they have rules where they regulate importation of wildlife especially if they are considered an extinct species. So, from our point of view it is okay to issue the import permit but we must respect the rules and regulations of other departments and so that is where we are."
"The potential importer once she gets the green light from that other department meaning the forestry, BAHA is prepared to issue an import permit having concluded the risk analysis."
Nancy Marin, Aspiring Ostrich Breeder
"The four people that I know that have ostriches that are not getting any issues with it are two politicians, and two business people, that I know for a fact that the Ostriches were confiscated by BAHA, and then politicians have told BAHA to return them. Now I don't want to call names because no one is going to sue me about it but it is not fair that some people are allowed. When you confiscate something as a government and you return it then you legitimize the product or whatever it is. And so even though these people people brought it in illegal government told them it is okay they didn't even get a slap on the wrist."
Cherisse Halsall:
"And this has been happening for years, hasnt it?"
Nancy Marin, Aspiring Ostrich Breeder
"The first time I heard about Ostriches in Boom was about 15 years ago and I went to see them about six years ago in the last year I visited some other farms that had ostriches so it is not a secret from government it is a secret from the population government is well aware of who has them, our politicians, our people visit them, it's no secret."
The Ostriches that Nancy Marin bought in Belize are reported to have originated from a ranch in Mexico.
SEMARNAT which is Mexico's Ministry of Natural Resources recognizes these animals as exotic wildlife.
Belize's Ministry of forestry Likewise considers these animals wildlife, and expect that they should be managed and regulated as such.
Email
Print