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JVD residents allege goats being poisoned on nearby islands

- allegedly as part of effort to rid the islands of the animals
The goats are considered non native to the islands and a threat to the vegetation which prevents erosion. Photo: dg.wildseasons.co.uk
Persons on Jost van Dyke are alleging that a number of goats have been poisoned in a bid to stop the domesticated animals from foraging on the island and disrupting conservation programmes. Photo: VINO/File
Persons on Jost van Dyke are alleging that a number of goats have been poisoned in a bid to stop the domesticated animals from foraging on the island and disrupting conservation programmes. Photo: VINO/File
Callwood provided to this news site a letter that he received on May 29, 2013 from the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands saying that the goats are a problem and had to go. The letter was addressed to Callwood in his capacity as Chairman of the Jost van Dyke Action Committee. Photo: Provided
Callwood provided to this news site a letter that he received on May 29, 2013 from the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands saying that the goats are a problem and had to go. The letter was addressed to Callwood in his capacity as Chairman of the Jost van Dyke Action Committee. Photo: Provided
GREAT HARBOUR, Jost van Dyke, VI - Persons on Jost van Dyke are alleging that a number of goats have been poisoned in a bid to stop the domesticated animals from foraging on the nearby islands of Big Tobago and Little Tobago and disrupting conservation programmes.

Our newsroom was flooded with calls from persons living on the sister island who became aware of the situation and who want it to cease.

Speaking to this news site, Gregory A. Callwood, a resident of Jost Van Dyke, told our news site that the persons believed to have poisoned the goats are said to be connected to a conservation body.

“They have some people over here embarked on a project and they just decided to kill all the goats out on these islands. They are setting poison with water and a bush and it is very dangerous as people may eat the goat which had the poison,” alleged Callwood.

“We don’t know how a w***e woman could come in here and don’t respect the natives of the land,” he further said.

Callwood provided to this news site a letter that he received on May 29, 2013 from the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands saying that the goats are a problem and had to go. The letter was addressed to Callwood in his capacity as Chairman of the Jost van Dyke Action Committee.

“Consequently all of the goats will be removed from the islands with the full participation of the community and therefore the Trust would like to collaborate with the Jost van Dyke community to relocate the goats to Jost van Dyke,” said the letter in part.

Poisoning of goats will not be tolerated

Speaking with this news site, another resident Gerald A. Chinnery said the alleged actions of the persons will not be tolerated and intends to continue to voice his views against them. He also alleged on record that goats were being poisoned.

He said that for over 100 years his family and those of others have had goats roaming the areas of Big Tobago and Little Tobago.

“I am appalled at this situation and everybody I call about it is pissed off,” said Chinnery. He said on January 3, 2016 he intends to hold a public meeting about the issue with a view to deciding the way forward.

“We the residents of Jost van Dyke are upset at what is happening and we need the Minister of Natural Resources and Labour to tell us something because we are not going to sit back and be taken over by a private organisation,” he said.

Goat population a problem

Speaking with this news site, Kelvin Penn, the acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer in the Department of Conservation and Fisheries, said he has not heard reports of the goats being poisoned. “This is the first I am hearing about it,” he said.

“I Know there was a plan to have some of the goats removed from the Tobagos, because the goats over there were [becoming an issue]. But I am not too sure whether they got approved or are being implemented,” he said.

“Generally you have the goats that are not native to that region and especially in a confined space where there were no natural enemies except humans. In that way they will multiply and eat a lot of the vegetation which will result in there not being any food,” he said. “So it is one of those cases where the theory is if you remove the non-native species which are the goats, it would allow the natural vegetation to thrive and there wouldn’t be any erosion on the islands,” he said.

Penn also confirmed that the Tobagos are part of the National Parks Trust. He said that he believes part of Little Jost van Dyke was also covered but not all of it.

When reached by this news site, Chief Agricultural Officer Bevin Brathwaite directed us to speak with his 'Communications Director' on the issue. However, attempts to make contact with this person were not successful as we were placed on hold but the person did not take the call.

Efforts by this news site to reach personnel from the National Parks Trust (NPT) for a comment proved futile.

29 Responses to “JVD residents allege goats being poisoned on nearby islands”

  • cruel (22/12/2015, 11:01) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    The practice by locals of poisoning animal MUST stop , it is illegal and dangerous.
    We have had many pet dogs poisoned recently and have resorted to putting security cameras up in our area to catch these thugs in the act. Hopefully the police will then prosecute them to the full extent of the law and fine them also. It's a barbaric practice that could accidently poison and kill children playing in the area.
  • trrefdrfds (22/12/2015, 11:12) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    This practice of eradicating the goats has to stop, we JVD people eats goat meat and sell goats and meat. another issue is that noone is monitoring what is happening or informing the communitity of what is they are doing. something that is done in secret has some danger attached to it.
  • biggil (22/12/2015, 11:24) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    No organization or group can or should be doing something to protect people or property without consulting with the ones they are tying to protect. Intentions may be good but communication is the key here. Tell us what it is you are doing and kill the rumors not the goats.
    • @ biggil (22/12/2015, 23:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      So what exactly are you trying to tell us? In your own words, please!

      Got to ask ... Is that how you operate?
  • one eye (22/12/2015, 11:43) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Seems like a family war
    • one love (22/12/2015, 16:43) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      U hit the nail on de head....that's what this really about. nobody poisoning goats. someone just poisoning minds because they jealous.
  • HMMM (22/12/2015, 13:55) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    you get a letter in May 2013 and wait til Dec 2015 to respond??????
  • Ground Zero (22/12/2015, 14:27) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    Them need to put that w### to live as a goat on Tobago with her piss
    • Well Sah (22/12/2015, 17:37) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      What we have now is expat white overreach which cannot be tolerated.
  • What's the issue (22/12/2015, 14:38) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    I don't understand. Who owns the land of Great Tobago and Little Tobago? It seems to be a NATIONAL PARK and thus government land. So these 'farmers' need to find place for their goats. Why are these people bellyaching? Height of nonsense! Mr. Chinnery, you need to find a paddock and do some real farming with your animals.

    Mind you, I don't support the poisoning but as usual we miss the point.
  • pat (22/12/2015, 15:27) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is just wrong
  • tretretrete (22/12/2015, 16:40) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    Tis goat? BVIslanders suffering verbal abuses daily in private sector by many a migrant.
    Something must be done to protect our people. The down islanders worst than the Europeans.
    The slave masters did not want educated slaves and the BVI private sector only want Bvilanders with short course certificates and associate degree. Every highly educated BVIlander in every sector who don't drink and spill their business and don't kissup is at risk of abuse, sabotage, the terrible effects of envy.
    And to go further our local kissup artists are happy to through their own under the bus just to be in thing for a moment.
    And the idiots at labour and immigration just keeping the migrants coming.
    What a darn shame.
  • fedup (22/12/2015, 17:34) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    A motion to vacate the judgment of what the locals want based on lack of caring of thoes who came to live amoung us
  • trrefdrfds (22/12/2015, 18:02) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    There are no goats being slaughtered. This is between a few JVD Fools wanting to be the President of JVD.
  • save the sharks (22/12/2015, 18:28) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    But who is saving the goats dr done deal?
  • just talk (22/12/2015, 19:02) Like (1) Dislike (8) Reply
    just reamber if it was not for us white people where would you all be today,sometimes I just feel like leaveing this stupid place.
  • um (22/12/2015, 19:51) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    Your goats are on a tiny island which is a National Park. MOVE THE GOATS! Really how hard is that? Instead of freeloading and letting them graze a national park move them to Jost and put them on your own land...or is that the problem?? You don't have your own land????? If they wrote a letter 6 months ago and no one has taken ownership of the goats and moved them then there is every right to believe they are wild and they can be killed. However a cull with a pistol instead of poison would be better.
    • re um (23/12/2015, 06:21) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      check the date of that letter! 2013 if he so angry why he didnt take action two years ago.
  • do not use the media (22/12/2015, 20:29) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    the Grey man and Chinney both voted for Mich so they need to call him and not VINO
  • Jost the plumber (22/12/2015, 20:54) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Someone misunderstood about calling 'roti rooter' when there's a bad batch of goat roti on Jost.
    Hope its not from a local, they are all one big happy family...with a few rotten foreigners thrown in.
  • local from white bay (22/12/2015, 23:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    And not a Damn Dog bark>>>>that is JVD Racism! & it will continue
  • Local (23/12/2015, 03:36) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Goats on the Tobagos have been a way of life for the people of JVD for generations. What and who is benefitting "what" from Tobagos being national parks ?what is Dr Done Deal protecting now for his white friends ? Tell us ! Is it the cactus and scrub or is it the nesting site of migatory sea birds?
    Kevin Penn stop being a puppet and man up , use ur port folio educate the public , tell these people who come amoung us that we DO NOT and CANNOT save the world and loose our CULTURE . While we saving Tobagos let Government put rest rooms and life guards on the beaches and STOP trying to disrupt/destroy our very way of life / culture
    • take that (24/12/2015, 11:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You'all put the goats them in ayo backyard and go look bush for them, why let them loose to roam the island, lazy, lazy.
  • new kid (23/12/2015, 06:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    jealous that daddy loves the w***e woman more than you?
  • Benny (23/12/2015, 09:05) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    No, poisoning animals is just cruel. Now, on the other hand, these are YOUR animals and should be penned on YOUR property and not making we residents live in hell. YOUR goats are and always have been destroying our gardens to the point that our beautiful pants won't even grow back. The are leaving their S-IT all over our grounds for us to step in. YOU have no consideration for YOUR neighbors, causing us a lot of money to repair or fence up, which we should not have to do if YOU penned your animals. This is one one woman's fight. it is the feeling of all of us who want to live on our own property in peace, which YOU goat owners have taken away. Now you see how it feels to be hit in YOUR selfish pockets.
  • rodent (23/12/2015, 10:12) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why doesn't everone who's complaining set up a debate consisting of ten Belongers and ten Goats and discuss this matter. :))
  • W**e Woman (23/12/2015, 12:25) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    All this crying over something that is a RUMOR and patently untrue.
  • Strange (28/12/2015, 09:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    might be rong but how many josters have child with w*##e woman even the ones figting this goat ting who call the woman w***e. they dont turn away w###e tourists where they all mmake money. taxis, hotels, restaurants owned by josters kiss up to the w###e tourests. less real josters on jost than from other places. and the josters don't go with josters. hole ting stupied.

  • Wildlife Biologist (07/01/2016, 12:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    First of all the land is owned by the Park system. Thus policy decisions are based on what is best for the environment. The people of JVD need to recognize that and not just do lip service to the cause. Goats are an introduced exotic, and terrible for island ecosystems. Look up goat eradication in the Galapagos. The farmers had warning and did nothing. get your goats and free range them somewhere else.
    Second, why are there so many racist comments? Is this about goats and a way of life or paranoid people with race issues?
    Third, are any goats actually being poisoned? I heard they were being shot (standard practice) and thus all this hoorah is nothing more than people beating their chest over rumors.
    Common JVD, you guys need to evolve your backward ideas.


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