Council must tighten procedures for access to protected areas like the Bird Sanctuary, Mussington says

Councilman John Mussington says the Barbuda Council will have to
put tighter mechanisms in place to prevent persons from illegally
entering protected sites on the sister-island.
 
A few days ago, some visitors were caught red-handed as they
attempted to enter the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, without permission.
 
Reportedly, the men claimed they were lost and had wandered into
the area by mistake.
 
But Mussington, who was not convinced by this excuse, says this
type of thing is not supposed to happen.
 
He says the area is located in the Codrington Lagoon National Park
and has also been declared a Ramsar site of international wetland
importance.
 
Therefore, dating back to 2017, there have been certain protocols
that must be followed in order to enter the Bird Sanctuary.
 

He notes that there are licensed tour guides who were trained to
operate in the area, and that a nominal fee is charged for the tour.
 
But, since the passage of Hurricane Irma over six years ago, the
Council has been having some challenges in getting its economy
back on track, he says.

Mussington says the intruders’ poaching in the Bird Sanctuary is
indicative of what the prime minister has been peddling: That is,
Antigua and Barbuda are the same, and what happens on the
mainland can also take place on the sister-island.
 
Accordingly, he says the Council will have to look at getting things
back to their pre-Irma position and manage the area properly.

The Councilman adds that the relevant channels and procedures
must be followed when persons wish to have access to protected
areas on Barbuda.

Councilman John Mussington.