THE New Amsterdam Municipal Abattoir, located in a desolate north western section of the town, aback the once famous Burnham Park and in close proximity to the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital, is currently in a deplorable state and operating well below sanitary requirements. However, it is the only functional facility where butchers in New Amsterdam can have their animals slaughtered. The problems plaguing the facility include lack of potable water and electricity, improper walls, and no holding facility for animals.

In an invited comment, Deputy Mayor of New Amsterdam, Mr Harold Dabydeen, told the Guyana Chronicle that, in his opinion, the abattoir should be dismantled.

“It’s really a disgrace to the town of New Amsterdam, and I will take it up with the council at our next meeting to have that structure dismantled,” he said.

NEVER USED

Former Local Government Minister Khelawan Lall had, in 2007, handed over to the M&TC a multi-million-dollar abattoir located next to the existing facility, but due to an alleged engineering design fault in that edifice, the facility was abandoned and subsequently vandalized to the point where it would require a lot of money to become operable.

The Deputy Mayor said the abandoned facility should be redesigned, and the concrete facility that is now in use should be dismantled, and a roof should be erected overhead to make it usable as a holding facility for animals.

“All it needs is sound economic planning. Finances are available to fix the abattoir that was abandoned, but it requires a collective effort to have the facility back in operation,” he disclosed.

Saying the area where the abattoir is located needs much attention, Dabydeen signalled his intention to approach the utility companies in an effort to have electricity and potable water installed in the area.