Meat selling in streets must stop – M&CC

Dec 01, 2016 News

According to the Mayor and City Council’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Debra Lewis, concerns

Public Relations Officer, M&CC, Debra Lewis

have been raised about the continuous sale of meat on the streets of Georgetown and around the Municipal markets. A statutory meeting was held on Monday last, where several Councillors would have voiced their concerns about this issue. At a previous statutory meeting, a decision was made to stop the sale of meat on the city streets.
During an interview yesterday, Lewis cited the health risks and violation of the public health laws as just two of the reasons for prohibiting the open sale of meat.
Councillor Malcolm Ferreira said that he observed that meat was still being sold in several parts of the City. Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe said that the City’s Administration was in the process of implementing the Council’s decision.
It was established that this practice is particularly prevalent in the vicinity of Bourda and La Penitence Markets.
As the Christmas season is fast approaching and persons would begin to procure their meats, the Council cautioned consumers to be careful as they purchase meat.
Lewis said that all meat offered for sale should be inspected by a Meat and Food Inspector and once deemed fit for human consumption, it is affixed with a Municipal stamp.
She further stated that some persons do not even allow animals to pass through the Abattoir to be slaughtered and this can result in the animals contacting diseases such as tuberculosis.
Also, any meat entering the City should first be inspected and approved by the City’s Meat Food and Hygiene Section before it is offered for sale.
Lewis said that the meat being sold on the streets is being exposed to bacteria, flies and dust among others. She emphasised that, “our officers are going to be more vigilant”.
The Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01, City Market bylaws, states that: “it shall not be lawful for any person to bring without permission of the Council, uncooked fresh meat into the Market. Also, no person shall sell or offer for sale in any market fresh meat except at a stall set aside and appropriated for that purpose”.
This clearly states the violations of the laws that these persons are involved in.
Persons who are involved in this trade are asked to make contact with the office of the Clerk of Markets immediately.
Starting from today, December 1, 2016, persons who are involved in this act would be issued with a notice to desist from selling meats on the streets, however if they do not comply, City Hall would be forced to seized their products. Persons would be given one week’s notice.