Saint Lucia’s Health Ministry to increase monitoring butchering activities

Castries, Saint Lucia: The Ministry of Health Wellness and Elderly Affairs will increase the surveillance and monitoring of butchering activities in all the communities from Tuesday.

It is to be noted that the move came in anticipation in an increase of animals slaughtering to satisfy the demand for local meats during the festive season.

Notably, this initiative will ensure that the people involved in slaughtering and selling of meats are in compliance with public health regulations and the products offered for sale are wholesome and fit for human consumption.

Consequently, Saint Lucia’s Health Ministry is taking this opportunity to remind butchers and persons intending to slaughter and make meat available for sale of the following points to facilitate a seamless process.

1. Visit the local Environment Health Offices to register the date of slaughter and to obtain a slaughterhouse license.
2. All butchers and their helpers must have their valid health certificates.
3. All animals to be slaughtered must be onsite for 24 hours before the date of slaughter un order to facilitate an antemortem inspection.
4. It is mandatory for all the butchers to obtain a “Butcher license” or permit to slaughter from the Police.
5. Permit from the police, antemortem certificates from the veterinary Division, health certificates and slaughterhouse license form the Environmental Health Division must be presented to be inspecting officer prior to carrying out a post-mortem inspection.
6. If anybody lacking in these documents including insanitary conditions and temperature abuse of meat and meat products are breaches of the Public Health Regulations and may result in the meat being seized and condemned.
7. Consumers must look for the Inspected and Passed stamp which indicates that the meat has been inspected for wholesome by the officers of the Environment Health Division. Or a certificate of wholesomeness issues by the inspecting officer.
8. Slaughters areas must be cleaned before the slaughtering process and be maintained in a sanitary condition.
9. The premises must be supplied with transferable water.
10. Slaughter areas should need to focus on a sufficient and well-distributed light.
11. Butchers and their assistants must be appropriately dressed in clean clothes and closed shoes.
12. Meat offered for sale must be stored in a way that protects it from the elements of the weather and also against contamination such as flies and dust.
13. The carcass and pluck must be hanged in order to facilitate the inspection and it should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary.

Notably, all meats exposed to smoke shall be disposed of unless salvaged under the guidance of Department of Environmental Health.