Agriculture Minister Roland Bhola says that a modern day abattoir is nearing completion at Mirabeau, St Andrew. Addressing residents of St Andrew Southeast, at the start of the second round of Government’s Open Forum at Gordon’s Bar in Munich, Bhola boasted that the modern day facility, which is nearing completion, will probably be the best in the Eastern Caribbean, with cutting edge current day equipment.
Bhola said that the abattoir is in the final stage of completion, with the installation of the equipment taking place. “It is one of the most modern abattoirs in the Caribbean. In fact we had visitations from St Vincent and the Grenadines, and other islands coming to see what we have done in Grenada, so that they can pattern theirs after ours.”
He said, “No longer will the butchers be using cutlass, saws, choppers and whatever. We will have proper equipment to give you proper cuts, so that when you get a piece of meat it will be fresh. It would be good.”
Bhola indicated that efficient transportation will be an integral part of the operations and as such, the service of a cold storage truck is being secured, as the slaughtering will take place at Mirabeau, and the vending done at the market in Grenville.
“We do not want meat to be just thrown in the back of a vehicle with two pieces of banana leaves, and when you get to Grenville flies are playing with the meat. We want to make sure that when you get meat it is fresh, it is clean, healthy, and good for human consumption; so we are getting a cold storage vehicle to move it to Grenville,” the agriculture minister remarked.
He also indicated that a cold storage room would be set up in Grenville for the butchers. “No longer will you have meat hanging outside from Friday morning to Saturday morning. It will be hanging in a cold storage room, and you will have the various cuts when you come to purchase,” Bhola said.
Minister Bhola indicated that the testing of the equipment is being done in the coming weeks to ensure that everything is fine, and assured that the long awaited abattoir would soon be commissioned.