Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is urging the police to shoot cattle that are roaming loose in communities as a danger to people and property.
“I am clear on this. I’ve told the police already, because the law permits it, you shoot them,” he said on WE FM on Sunday.
“… when AIA (Argyle International Airport) was being built and the aerodrome was being built out, persons thought that well on the side is to have their cattle let go, and I told the police to shoot them. The police, they shot the first one and that was the end of that.”
The prime minister was responding to a question about cattle running loose in the Diamond area.
He said someone had objected when he told the police to shoot the untethered cattle at AIA.
Gonsalves said he responded by asking the person if they are vegetarian and pointing out that an animal has to be killed before it becomes meat.
“There’re some persons who have cattle who have not one piece of land on which to keep the cattle,” the prime minister said.
“There’re some things you can keep and some things you can’t keep but you can’t, in a modern society, let them go on the road and to destroy public facilities, which cost millions of dollars. The Sir Vincent Beache Stadium is 40-something million already.”
One of the hosts of the show had complained about almost falling twice after stepping in cattle droppings while exercising at the stadium.
“… I say shoot them and I hope the leadership in the police hear me again on this. And in order to make sure you can get the meat if you shoot them, you make sure that the blood runs out …” Gonsalves said.
He said cattle owners should not hold the rest of the community ransom.
“I tell you something. I have it up to my head, over my head, talking about this thing about owners with cattle. They’re just not listening to you,” he said.
The prime minister said the changes to the Town and Country Planning Act that Parliament approved on Thursday will take care of people who think it is acceptable to have cattle and pig pens in residential areas.
Can’t the owners be contacted and fined? Is there any laws in place for that? I understand that it’s a menace we don’t have to shoot them, maybe one warning to the owners, fine them and you can shoot if there is an imeadate threat.
Shoot the cow dosnt make any sense why not hold the owner or owners respond able fine or charge the owner you socialist dictator what wrong has the cow done .
Christmas just around the corner. Kill the cattle and sell the meat cheap cheap. People living from hand to mouth Mr PM.Who overseas you trying to .mislead/ impress?
Also sheep and Goats. As a farmer I am fed up with my plots being damaged.
Is this part of the constitution or a dictator command .
This ultimate leader isn’t thinking straight at all. There’s a huge problem with people losing their animals to thieves, who would slaughter these stolen animals and sell the meat to even butchers. What message
Is our great pm sending to these thieves in this Christmas season ,with stray cows roaming about? That’s the most irresponsible statement I’ve heard from any Caribbean leader for 2024.
This is an Almighty strange situation , in a country where paradial larceny is sky high the advice ( read, order ) has come from above to “shoot” ,soon we will be importing more expensive meat that only he can buy ,you dont get a cattle in svg without an owner ( is it a case of i cant feed myself and family much less an animal ,so let them loose ??) . Second, is there anyone in svg that gives two dogs about what the public thinks or of their input in the affairs of their country ? , except for their vote once in five years until they can get rid of that too ?? ,anyone at all ? .
There are some stray people as well. Make the order official shoot them too!
I am here visiting for the holidays (staying in Gorse Village) and can’t open my bedroom window, because of the pig stench in the back of my home.
I’ve contacted the health inspector in Byera Hill, went to the department of health with no response. The thing is no one in the community is saying anything..