–Town Clerk Stun guns to be in use this week–Town Clerk

TOWN Clerk Royston King made councillors laugh on Monday when he said that the two stun guns purchased for the municipal abattoir were at Laparkan Shipping Company. One month ago, he had said that they were in-transit.

City Hall’s administration headed by King continues to be pressed with questions about the stun guns in view of the inhumane manner in which animals are being slaughtered. “Stop it Town Clerk!” responded Councillor Sherod Duncan to King’s remark that the guns are now at Laparkan.  It was Councillor Khame Sharma who requested an update on the situation, reminding King that on the last occasion he had said the guns were in-transit. King subsequently promised that the guns will be in use before the end of this week.

In September, when councillors asked Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe about the guns, she too had said they were in transit. In fact, she said  one month before King had come to statutory and reported that the guns were in transit. Harry-Munroe had promised a full report on the matter, but none has come forward to date.

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 had been 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 stun guns. 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.