$6-8M to rebuild unused $5M abattoir

Sep 19, 2009 News

“If you hang two cow on it right now, it would break down” – source

The unused $5M abattoir at Meten–Meer–Zorg, West Coast Demerara.

The Ministry of Agriculture is currently in consultations with a number of butchers on the West Coast of Demerara, in order to put to use the $5M abattoir that was built in Meten – Meer – Zorg, West Coast Demerara, since 1995.
Kaieteur News understands that a technical survey is also in the process of being conducted at the facility.
When contacted yesterday for an update, Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Julius Faerber, referred all queries to the Agricultural Officer in the Region, Brigesh Singh. However, when Singh was contacted, he refused to divulge any information on the abattoir, since he did not receive the permission from Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud.
Kaieteur News has been reliably informed that the Ministry is in the process of consulting with butchers on the entire West Coast, where their (butchers) input is being taken into consideration as it relates to revamping the structure.
A source close to the facility informed this newspaper that the Agriculture Ministry has committed to rebuilding the abattoir, which is estimated would cost between $6 – 8 million.
According to a reliable source, the abattoir can be put to good use if it is rebuilt, because the current structure is extremely weak.
“If you hang two cow on it right now, it would break down, so it will cost a lot of money to reconstruct it,” the source said.
Kaieteur News understands that in the rebuilding, a number of adjustments will be made to the facility, especially infrastructural developments, where the wall housing of the site will be reinforced.
According to the source, when the abattoir was constructed in 1995, the Agriculture Ministry was not part of the consultation process, and as such no technical advice was given during the construction of the facility, resulting in it not being built to specifications, which are required for an abattoir.
This newspaper had reported recently, that since the abattoir was constructed, it has never been put to use and none of the relevant authorities seem to know anything about it.
Kaieteur News understands that the abattoir was built at a cost of approximately $5 million.
This newspaper had contacted the Regional Chairman, Faerber, who informed that he was not working with the region at the time that the building was constructed and as such he was not in possession of the information as to who constructed the building or why it was never used.
He did note that the Ministry of Agriculture had established a technical team to assess the situation of the abattoir, but he does not know how far that team had reached in their assessment.
However, when this newspaper had made contact with the authorities at the Agriculture Ministry, no one seemed to have any knowledge of any such team. The Chief Crops and Livestock Officer at the Ministry, Brian Sears, had referred all queries to the Permanent Secretary, Dindyal Permaul, whom this publication later learnt was on annual leave.
The acting Regional Executive Officer of Region Three, Winston Davidson, was then contacted and he said he was not aware that any such abattoir was constructed since he only started working at the Region in 2006.
Davidson had opined there may not be anyone in the Regional Administration that would have any information on the building, since the chairman and other workers only recently started working at the Region.
Kaieteur News then contacted Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Meten – Meer – Zorg, Mohammed Pasha, who also said he was not in possession of any information on the abattoir, as according to him, it was not constructed under his tenure as Chairman of the NDC.
Pasha did admit that he is aware of the building, but could not say why it was never put to use.
Kaieteur News understands that a security guard is paid on a monthly basis to overlook the building, but according to residents in the area, this individual only visits the building once daily and then leaves.
According to residents, a man was found dead in the building in 1999 and since then it was tightly secured.