Mayor Ubraj Narine yesterday headed a team to the Georgetown Municipal Abattoir on Water Street to assess ongoing works in preparation for it to be operational soon.
Town Clerk (ag) Walter Narine, councillors Oscar Clarke, Heston Bostwick, Clayton Hinds, and Gregory Fraser, along with other administrative officers were part of the team.
The Georgetown Municipal Abattoir has not been functioning for the past three years and is currently only being used for the inspection and stamping of meat. Mayor Narine had announced that the abattoir would be moved to another location after a crane belonging to John Fernandes Limited damaged sections of the building. However, this move did not occur.
On February 27, 2020, the crane fell onto a section of the roof of the abattoir. This resulted in damage to the walls and windows of the kitchen area, as well as the roof of the slaughtering chambers. This effectively put a halt to all slaughtering operations.
Butcher shops around Georgetown currently have to utilise the abattoirs at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, and Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara, to have animals slaughtered. Thereafter, they must travel to Water Street to have the meat inspected and stamped. They have complained that this process is time-consuming and costly.
