LITTLE BAY – The Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Lands and the Environment Claude Hogan on Friday, May 1, 2015 said the cutting down of coconut trees was a crime against humanity.
Hogan was addressing the technicians gathered for a one-day workshop to update Montserrat’s National Climate Change Adaptation Policy at the Montserrat Cultural Centre. The minister was alluding to recent reports of coconut trees in the Centre Hills being cut down for the sole purpose of harvesting the coconut water.
He said he’s requested the Environmental Enforcement Team work with local police to track down people who choose to cut down trees without permission.
“Cutting down a single tree in Montserrat in these days without development planning approval is both a current crime and a crime against humanity for future generations. These coconut trees that have been abused for example, we will regret, because they are more than for coconut water. The tree roots control soil erosion and we should be planting trees, not cutting down those planted by others years ago. I have asked the environment enforcement team plus the police to hunt down and capture anyone so foolish to cut down a wonderful fruit tree like the coconut tree,” Minister Hogan stated.
