I would go further.
Mr Matthews writes: “I fail to see why the trade is ‘frustrated’.”
Has he not been following events closely? First, the new act is just a lazy, woke irrelevance, having no bearing on the critical issue of saving elephants’ lives.
Second, it is destroying both treasured culture and the market in antique ivory, which has nothing to do with modern ivory.
Third, collectors, such as myself – whom he ignores – are no less important than the trade.
Mr Matthews further writes: “The descriptions of the law and the exemptions are clear.” No, they are not! This is precisely why one needs to register one’s ivory pieces, to determine whether or not they reach the necessary thresholds, and can be exempted. But no expert has been identified, or available, for this precise purpose, for three years!
Mr Matthews appears to be pontificating from an unusually tall ivory tower. I would only add that the purpose of registering is not only to establish which ivory pieces can be exempted, but also which ones are not, so that they can legally be sold in time, before the drawbridge is imminently raised.
Gavin Littaur
London NW4
