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‘Stolen in the dead of night’ – Govt., police move to clamp down on cattle rustling
(Kaieteur News) – Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met with cattle farmers from Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara on Saturday as mounting incidents of cattle rustling threaten livelihoods and the future of livestock production in the area.
The meeting followed an earlier engagement between the farmers and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during which rustling was identified as one of the most urgent challenges facing the sector. Farmers warned that unchecked theft is eroding confidence, income, and long-term sustainability.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha
According to a Ministry of Agriculture press release, during discussions, Minister Mustapha acknowledged that cattle rustling has been an ongoing problem and assured farmers that the Ministry of Agriculture has been working closely with the Guyana Police Force to implement practical and effective interventions. He emphasised that improved coordination and stronger on-the-ground responses remain a priority.
“Today I met with the cattle farmers from Enmore/Foulis to discuss the ongoing issue of cattle rustling. We have since advised that they form themselves into a group to work along with officers from the GLDA, the Guyana Police Force, the Environmental Health Officers, and the NDC. This group will work collectively to implement strategies to deal with this issue. The GLDA will facilitate this process,” Minister Mustapha explained.
He also underscored the importance of proper animal identification to aid law enforcement efforts. “You also have to put measures in place to assist with identifying your animals because I know a lot of these animals are not branded. It is very difficult for the police to identify these animals when they are not branded,” he said.
Addressing food safety and illegal slaughtering, Minister Mustapha highlighted the role of local authorities and the enforcement of existing legislation. “The NDCs and the EHOs will have to work along with you because these animals that are stolen and slaughtered, we don’t know if they are being sold at the markets. We have a Food Safety Act in this country that will be taken to Parliament in the new year for amendments. That act prohibits slaughtering at facilities that are not certified. So, the NDC, the EHO, and the GLDA will have to check to see if there is illegal slaughtering taking place,” he explained.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simon McBean, provided an update on reported cases and outlined proposed enforcement measures. “We have about six reported cases of cattle rustling in this area for the year. This is concerning to us. One of the key areas we are examining is the pre- and post-slaughter agents. That normally helps us to identify whether or not the correct animal is slaughtered. We also have to look at identifying slaughterhouses and what mechanisms will be in place when persons slaughter outside of those slaughterhouses. When the committee is formed, one of the proposals we are making is to conduct joint patrols with the cattle farmers in the identified areas. We can identify the times when rustling is most rampant and set up those patrols with those parameters,” he explained.
Deputy Police Commissioner, Simon McBean
Minister Mustapha further disclosed that the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will identify a portion of land to temporarily house cattle, while a permanent location is finalised in keeping with guidance from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC). He noted that these measures are critical to the development and expansion of cattle production in Enmore and across the East Coast of Demerara. GLDA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dwight Waldron, also addressed challenges related to slaughtering practices and compliance with the law.
“One of the issues we’ve been having with the police is accepting animals destined for slaughter with fresh brands. That is a major no-no because it complicates things for the farmers. When you look at the Act, that is a violation. The other area is the aspect of pre-approval before slaughter, and again, the Act is clear. All animals should have the ante-mortem inspection, which is issued by the GLDA, before any animal is slaughtered. This is where our officers would be able to identify the farmer based on what is in the database and can track it from there,” Dr. Waldron said.
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