By Balford Henry, News EditorFARMERS WILL be going to Jamaica House this morning to discuss a number of burning issues with Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
One such issue concerns proposals to shoot stray animals captured by local authorities. Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) president, A.A. 'Bobby' Pottinger, who will be leading the delegation, says the Society will also be raising other matters, such as its proposal for a fee on imported food items to finance an agricultural development fund and for more action against praedial larceny.
Mr. Patterson said that the JAS was made aware by the Ministry of Agriculture, that there was a proposal emanating from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, and included in a draft Bill to be tabled in Parliament soon, which would allow the shooting of cows straying on the nation's streets.
"We have asked for a copy of the draft Bill and I haven't received it yet, but we have been reliably informed that shooting the animals is proposed," Mr. Pottinger said yesterday.
Sources at the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development confirmed that proposed amendments to the Pound Act were drafted, but could not comment on the plans to shoot the animals. Stray animals are currently impounded by the local authorities.
The Government said from 2001 that it was moving closer to finalising the passage of two Bills that it hopes will solve the problem of stray animals. The proposed amendments to the Pound Act and the Keeping of Animals Act will allow for easier disposal of impounded animals.
The proposed amendments could allow for the killing of the stray animals to feed persons in public institutions. This would ease the strain on the island's six operational pounds, which are mostly overcrowded with unclaimed animals.
Stray animals have caused a lot of damage to the agricultural sector and have been blamed for a fair amount of motor vehicle accidents.
But the proposal angered directors of the JAS at their monthly meeting at Church Street, downtown Kingston, yesterday.
Board member and director of the Jamaica Bureau of Standards, Dr. Omer Thomas, said that with the local cow population already down to some 200,000, from 400,000 in the 1960s, about 80 per cent were choice local breeds "craved by other countries".
According to director Bob Miller, the proposal was aimed at small farmers, as cows found outside large farms would not be considered strays. He said that depending on and where the cows were shot, it was possible that the meat would go to waste.
"We have to tread cautiously on this matter. We really shouldn't reach the stage where we have to be shooting cows," Miller said.
The Society unanimously supported a resolution moved by Dr. Thomas asking that the National Planning Council, a national advisory group comprising representatives of the public and private sector, accord the choice Jamaican breeds status of national assets, which would protect them from being shot or otherwise mistreated. These breeds include: Jamaica Hope, Jamaica Brahman, Jamaica Red Poll and Jamaica Black.
