By Rayon Dyer, Freelance WriterST. ELIZABETH:
The problem of stray animals continues to plague streets of major towns in St. Elizabeth. The Parish Council is yet to give a deadline when the long-awaited animal pound will be established.
According to the secretary/manager of the Council, Opal Beharie, efforts are being made to have the animal pound in place at the earliest possible time. She said that the surveying of the proposed site in Myersville, was carried out recently and that the Council was awaiting the draft plan from the Ministry of Local Government's architect, Gaston McKenzie, who would undertake the designing of the project.
When contacted on Monday, December 16, for a comment, tourism interest and community activist, Desmond Henry, said that the animal pound would be better served at a location closer to Black River and Santa Cruz, because the areas which are suffering from the stray animal nuisance were Mountainside, Fullerswood , Barbary Hall, Lacovia, Holland, Middle Quarters and Williamsfield.
Mr. Henry also noted that the management of the Council has been trying to put the facility in place for years and, if the will and interest was forceful enough, the pound would have been up and running a long time ago. He argued that the role of the Parish Council should be redefined with a renewed interest to serve the public.
Residents are complaining about the amount of stray animals on the streets of the parish. They believe that the time has come for the Parish Council to make a positive move to have the pound put in place.
