The monkey debate has restarted.A significant number of farmers dread the presence of the green monkey, while animal rights activists, conservationists and tourists welcome their presence.Green monkeys were transported from their native land West Africa to Barbados as pets during the slave trade in the 1600s. Thankfully, cats and dogs have taken the place of these original pets now transformed into destructive marauding pests.On account of accelerated reproduction, there is an estimated population of 14 000 monkeys on the island.There is a universal principle suggesting that anything beneficial to mankind’s development and existence should be retained and maintained.The converse of the above is also an abiding principle as well; anything unbeneficial should be discarded or avoided.During a reasonable amount of research on the green monkey, there were no more than three listed benefits, namely pollination of flowers, seed dispersion and soil fertilisation.
