Despite "Foul Smell Of Corruption, Everywhere", CITES Rejects Biostitutes, Most Lobby Pressures
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Most of my time at the meeting was spent lobbying, which is something new to me, however when it comes to talking about sharks and what I have personally seen and documented, I guess you could say I am slightly passionate on the subject. So that's what I did, talked sharks for two weeks and being in their corner at CITES, there was no place I’d rather havebeen. But we were up against some heavyweights. China was passively lobbying support to block any protection, something they did if I may say, with some dignity. Japan however was frantic. They were running here and there, aggressively lobbying hard, openly taking out delegates for dinner and “entertainment”.One night they even hosted the entire Chinese delegation. Apparently sharks fin soup was not on the menu!
The smell of corruption and underhand deals around the halls was foul, and it was everywhere. All in one hall you have shark fin traders, trophy hunters, ivory crafts and tuna fishery representatives and anyone else who makes their money from the death and destruction of species. Interlaced amongst them are some “good NGO’s” and some “not so good NGO’s”. These were NGO’s set up to discredit everything that we bring to the debate.
Then there are the lowest of the low, the ex-CITES prostitutes. These are former CITES people who’ve retired and set up their own consultancies, selling their souls to the highest bidder. Anyone who needs help navigating through the entangled web of CITES to ensure nothing gets protected. Eugene Lapointe established his IWMC who had a massive presence. Eugene was a former Secretary General of CITES who fell from grace, but that's a whole different story. Working with the Hong Kong shark fin traders was Robert ‘Hank’ Jenkins, the former Chairman of the CITES Animals Committee. How anyone can take him seriously, turning up to the event in sandals I don’t know, but I do know that whatever he cost Charlie Lim and his associates was money wasted. His arrogance was his downfall, a fall I took great pleasure in watching from my table, just 10ft away. He paid me the nicest personal compliment after he introduced himself as “Jenkins, the guy you’ve been slagging off”, he told /warned me, “I’ll never forget you!” I was touched…
The entire Dr Giam campaign was started from a letter to the South China Morning Post from Jenkins. This was what caught the eye of my ex-law enforcement partners in Hong Kong, which then spawned a full investigation, resulting in the Giam Report which neutralized Dr Giam Choo Hoo’s influence within the CITES Animals Committee. Also present was Hank’s sidekick Glenn Inwood, the media puppet of the Japanese whalers, and then of course Giam himself made an appearance. He just couldn’t stay away, the only Asian man I know who has no ‘face’ or shame. He is a thing of the past in our opinion; no one will ever take him seriously again, so he should just enjoy his retirement. I met one of the current Animals Committee members who said to me, “Giam’s a real pain in the ass at our meetings”. His words not mine, but I get where he’s coming from.
EDIT
http://www.seashepherd.org/commentary-and-editorials/2013/03/18/cites-victory-of-good-over-evil-602
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