TOWN Clerk Royston King on Monday said that a new stun gun was purchased overseas for the municipal abattoir and is in the process of being shipped here.

But, it is roughly one month ago, that city councillors pressed Deputy Town Clerk, Sharon Harry, for an update on the status of the stun gun, and she had said that one was procured and was in transit as she spoke.Her uninformed response caught the attention of several city councillors who questioned as to the veracity of the information that the details that she was providing, following which Harry promised that a full report would have been made available “shortly.”

However, on Monday King had a quite different explanation, as he said that he `is now in the process of preparing a report and offered that the new stun gun was in transit.

’ Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had some months ago called for the matter be dealt with urgently, as she described the manner in which the animals are slaughtered currently as “cruel and heartless.” She had even threatened disciplinary action against officers who are culpable.. And, months later, Harry attempted to offer an explanation to the Council that while the gun was procured, the ammunition still had to be obtained. She had also caused some stir when she raised the issue of a second stun gun, which according to her, was on its way to Guyana.

The Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) had said earlier this year that it was not satisfied with the manner in which the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is slaughtering animals.
The mayor had said that should the GSPCA have reason to go out and protest this issue, those who are guilty will be disciplined.
By the end of July, it was the mayor who had remarked that the stun gun and ammunition should have been in place at the municipal abattoir, failing which disciplinary action would have been taken.

To date, the abattoir continues to operate without same.
The stun gun is used to render animals immobile or unconscious prior to slaughtering them at the abattoir, so that they do not feel as much pain.