ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Oct 21, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda government has denied joining an international effort to lift the 40-year-old ban on commercial whaling, insisting that it has not issued any statement to that effect.
“Cabinet has NOT agreed to lift the ban on hunting of whales and is not aware of any statement which suggests otherwise,” according to the one-paragraph stern statement published on the Facebook page of the Office of the Prime Minister.
Earlier this week, international media reported that St. John’s was part of a debate initiative at Slovenia’s ongoing International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting.
According to the reports, wildlife protection organizations said proposals by pro-whaling countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, could reverse progress made by the IWC.
The international media reports said that Antigua and Barbuda had submitted a resolution seeking to reopen the debate on commercial whaling.
It has also co-sponsored another resolution with several countries, including Cambodia and the Gambia.
At its last meeting in Brazil, the 88-member IWC rejected a proposal by Japan to lift the ban on commercial whaling.
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