Manchester butchers charged for breaches
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Fourteen butchers who operate from the Christiana market in north-eastern Manchester are now answering to charges before the Manchester Parish Court for breaches in plying their trade.
The disclosure was made at the regular monthly meeting of the Manchester Parish Council by Superintendent of the Manchester Police Division, Vendolyn Cameron-Powell.
She said that stolen animals usually end up at the Christiana Market.
The offences include failure to produce animal sale/purchase receipts, failure to give notice of slaughtering, butchering without a licence, fraudulent use of receipt books and doing business without food handler permits.
“Christiana Market is the market of choice, not only for cattle being stolen in Manchester, but from St Ann they come to Christiana Market, St Elizabeth is Christiana Market, stolen in Clarendon is Christiana market, stolen in Westmoreland is Christiana Market,” said Cameron-Powell.
She said that praedial larceny is a challenge in Manchester and backup from police personnel stationed in Kingston was used to help to uncover the breaches by the butchers who were recently charged.
Cameron-Powell said that much effort is put into patrolling in order to curb the issue. She said that as a result, farmers doing business lawfully may have to experience delays when transporting animals.
“If you are farmers, bear with us,” she said, adding that for people moving without receipts the time will be longer than persons who can verify where they get their animals.
The use of sales receipts certified by the Jamaica Agricultural Society is among anti-praedial larceny measures..
Cameron-Powell said that efforts to counter praedial larceny had been hampered because there were no replacement parts for bikes which had been donated to the quick response agro team.
Despite that, she said the police are making strides in praedial larceny and general policing.
“Our arrest rate … it’s way up. We went all out this year in making sure that persons committing offences are placed before the parish court and answer to the charges,” said Cameron-Powell.
— Alicia Sutherland