Snake mystery continues

No snake has yet been found at Hogs Bay Park, Sandys, the Permanent Secretary of the Environment said yesterday.

“There is no update on the alleged snake siting,” Mr. Carey said.

“The area has been searched many times but no snake has been sighted or found.”

In November, Parks Department Director Lisa-Dawn Johnston said it had responded to the report of a snake at Hog's Bay Park and officers of the Parks Department and the Environmental Protection Department conducted a search of the area.

Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) acting principal curator Dr. Ian Walker said snakes sneaking into the Island in shipping containers were potentially damaging to local wildlife.

It is illegal to import snakes or keep them as pets in Bermuda and a special licence is needed for endangered species like a Boa constrictor seized by Police from a private residence in 2001.

The boa seizure shocked Government in 2001 and sparked an amnesty for illegal snake owners to turn their pets in.

Booth to be replaced

The Department of Parks will continue to refurbish the infrastructure of the Botanical Gardens to prepare for the Annual Exhibition.

On December 15, the Department of Parks sought Planning approval to replace a booth that was used for commentary on equestrian events inside the grandstand at the former Agricultural Show.

“The old building was a wooden shack that was totally destroyed in Hurricane Fabian,” Park Planner Drew Pettit said on Tuesday. “The new building will be more multi-purpose.”

Mr. Pettit said the new booth would have a better view for the commentators.

“It used to be shoved to the side. But now it will be more central and higher for a better view of the grandstand from inside.”

Post offices open

The parcel post section of the General Post Office and all sub-post offices will be open until 6 p.m. today and tomorrow.

The parcel post section of the General Post Office will be open until 3 p.m. on Saturday so parcels can be collected.

Anyone with a first notice should make every effort to collect packages as soon as possible.

Ferries break down

Ferry service was interrupted on Monday due to technical difficulties of some of the vessels in the ferry fleet.

A Ministry of Transport spokesperson yesterday said there were mechanical breakdowns with the mono-hull ferries on the Paget/Warwick route.

The spokesperson said technicians and mechanics were working to have the vessels ready for commuter service yesterday afternoon and evening.