Disregard for Rules: Supreme Court Upholds Cancellation of Monkey Breeding Project

Disregard for Rules: The Supreme Court has upheld the cancellation of a monkey breeding project.

Kursley Thanay

Thursday, 10/09/2025 - 3:00 PM

Hammerhead International Ltd was denied the right to challenge in court the decision made by the Ministry of Agro-Industry, which had revoked the letter of intent granted to it for a monkey breeding and export project intended for biomedical research. The Supreme Court dismissed its request in a ruling delivered on October 7, 2025, by Judge David Chan Kan Cheong and Judge Véronique Kwok Yin Siong Yen.

The judicial review application filed by Hammerhead International Ltd targeted the Ministry of Agro-Industry, along with two co-defendants: the National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS) and the Rose Belle Sugar Estate Board. The situation began in November 2020 when the company sought permission from the NPCS to capture, breed, and export long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) for biomedical research purposes. On August 13, 2021, it received a letter of intent from the Ministry, allowing it to proceed with its plans, contingent upon obtaining an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Certificate.

However, according to the judgment, the company allegedly began capturing and breeding monkeys at sites located in Le Val and Jin Fei, Riche-Terre, without holding the required certificate. This violation led the Ministry to revoke the letter of intent via a letter dated October 9, 2024, due to non-compliance with stipulated conditions.

The judges found that Hammerhead International Ltd had not demonstrated that the Ministry's decision-making process was flawed or arbitrary, emphasizing that the company itself had violated established rules.

Consequently, the Supreme Court refused to grant permission for a judicial review, stating that there was "no defendable case with a realistic prospect of success." The request was therefore dismissed.