It was probably for the better that they did not go for this flag. It is hard to think anything else than “Russia with a crocodile”. And at least I relate that to the dangerous semi-synthetic opioid desomorphine, common in Russia, and referred to as “krokodil”.

Here’s another proposal used different colors, which I think would have worked better:

Blue-black-yellow triband with black crocodile

More proposals here: https://www.nlj.gov.jm/Ja50/Public Suggestions for the Flag.htm