A few upset East Canje cattle farmers yesterday protested outside of the Reliance Police Station, after police ranks on Saturday impounded their animals.
Indranauth Ramishwar, 55, of Lot 8883 New Area, Canefield Settlement, East Canje Berbice, explained that on Saturday, around 2 pm, his animals were grazing in some bushes in the village when they were impounded by police.
“Around 2 me say me a come home, so me start chase them out and them take the road, so me see the police jeep come. When me go see them say the cow deh from the road way, so me tell them, man me deh behind them cow, me get me water, me get breakfast, me get me flag,” the man recalled.
However, he related that the police proceeded to chase the 11 cows to the Reliance Police Station, where they told the man that he would have to pay $8,000 per head with an added cost for every additional night.
Yesterday morning, Ramishwar insisted that he would not pay to have the cows released and called on the authorities to intervene. How-ever, yesterday afternoon, after discovering that the animals were not fed or given anything to drink, he paid $108,800 to have them released.
The man is contending that it was not fair to have policing ranks impound his animals when he was present.
Fed up
Additionally, another cattle farmer alleged that the same day, Reliance police also impounded one of his cattle. “Me been with them animals and we a live through the street, so one a me cattle drop so me run go home and before me come out back, me hear them police pound me cow,” the man recalled.
Deoand Mohaber, 53, of New Area, Canefield Settlement, said, “Whole day me a deh with me animals, them man this know that, them does pass and see me deh whole day”.
Mohaber, also known as, “Dara”, explained that he was previously employed at the Rose Hall Sugar Estate. However, after being severed, he decided to use his severance payment to purchase a few cattle to give him the means to take care of his family. “Me na get job, so me buy this cow and me say me go go savannah but them savannah them trench dry, no water, and the cow a walk over them man a do rice and farming deh so me na want that…So me say when rain fall me go go in back, me a deh with me animal, na say them unprotected,” he told this newspaper.
The man added that he is “fed up” with the situation, especially after losing his job.
“Me fed up, me fed up, me confused. Let me tell you personally, me only get cholesterol problem and it raise presently, you a try to live one honest life and grow children,” Mohaber stated.
Meanwhile, other farmers who were present in support of the two men accused ranks of working with stray catchers “to profit”. The farmers said that they are facing tremendous hardships in the area and called for an investigation into the matter.
Stabroek News was told that stray catchers would book the animals down at the station in their names, however, it is unclear who took responsibility for the animals that were escorted by the ranks on Saturday.
Calls to Commander of B Division, Paul Langevine for a comment on the matter went unanswered throughout yesterday.
