At Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing, Minister for Agriculture Lisa Jawahir responded to new calls for the Government to tackle the ongoing problem of stray cows on the island’s roads.
In February, the Department of Agriculture took action to remove stray cows from the highways, especially in the Choc area in the north and Vieux Fort in the south. The cows were moved to a location in Vieux Fort.
Recently, some stray cattle have been seen grazing near the highway in the Choc area. There are also reports that some cows moved to Vieux Fort were not properly cared for by their owners and have died.
Jawahir addressed these issues on Monday.
“There was already a plan in motion to remove the cattle… we found it was taking too long, so we had to step in because there were accidents happening and we did not want any loss of life,” Jawahir, who assumed the role of Agriculture Minister in December, said.
“When the ministry and the ministry’s team from vet services came to Choc, they engaged with some farmers, because the plan was to remove the cattle that were loose. Some of the farmers came, and we relocated every single head of cattle that was loose. They were relocated to a location that was supposed to have been a temporary location until the farmers were able to work to get their spot.”
The Minister explained that the Ministry of Agriculture is not responsible for providing land, but it will help with the temporary relocation of cattle that pose a danger to the public.
“It was the cattle owner’s responsibility to care for the animals and we have certainly experienced some serious challenges engaging with them. We had to put out a notification a few weeks ago to remind the general public that it is against the law for cattle to be roaming loose, particularly on the highway, reminding them of the fine that can be imposed through the act,” the minister said.
“All of a sudden, we’re seeing more cows surfacing at Choc. We contacted the cattle farmers again and we said the Ministry of Agriculture is going to move in immediately and get the cattle to a pound. We’ve begun that process; some of them from the south, unfortunately, did not make it because they were not given the proper nutrition that the owners had agreed to.”
She also said the Ministry has spoken with farmers and the Department of Crown Lands to help farmers lease land for their cattle.
Jawahir reminded reporters that the issue of stray cows has been around for a long time, even before she was born.
“I find it quite strange that we have allowed it to continue for such a long period of time,” she said.
“I want to say for a final time, the Government of Saint Lucia’s number one priority is the safety of its citizens. This week, all the cattle that are loose in that area in the Coco Dan (Vieux Fort) will be relocated one final time. We will be assisting them with that…but moving forward, we will have zero tolerance for this.
“I find the public has been very patient, but at this point we are stepping in and doing what it is that we have to do, and if we find any loose cattle along the road, particularly along the highways, we will remove them and we will remove them effective immediately this week.”
Looking ahead, the Minister said the Government will enforce the law on stray cattle, including impounding the animals or issuing fines of between $500 and $5,000.
