St James municipal corporation to tackle issue of stray cattle
MONTEGO BAY, St James–Residents of Rosevale and Rhyne Park in St James East Central say they are happy that the long-standing problem of stray cattle roaming their streets and endangering lives will finally be addressed.
This comes following comments made by Montego Bay Mayor, Richard Vernon, that the St James Municipal Corporation is committed to confronting the issue head-on.
He was addressing a city hall meeting at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre, St James, on February 6.
Rosevale businessman, Delroy Lindo, said that for years, the people have been expressing concern over the dangerous practice of allowing cattle to wander unsupervised, particularly during the nights.
“It’s about time… very good news. It’s a dangerous practice to leave these large cows unattended where they can cause problems, endangering the lives of residents,” he said.
Rhyne Park resident, Carlene Smith, also expressed support for the mayor’s announcement.
“We have been complaining for the longest time about these stray cows and the danger they represent on our roads,” she said.
“I hope they are serious this time before something bad happens. This situation has gotten truly out of control,” she added.
Meanwhile,Vernon said the Municipality has received 100 reports concerning stray animals since 2023.
He also revealed plans to petition the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to designate certain areas of Montego Bay restricted zones for animal rearing, citing the Keeping of Animals Act of 1979.
“In the past year alone, over 30 cases of hazards associated with stray animals were reported to us,” he noted.
The proposed restrictions aim to tackle not only the stray cattle issue in Rosevale and Rhyne Park but also other problematic farming practices in various neighbourhoods, including goat rearing in Bogue Village and pig farming in the business district.
Vernon emphasised that while the municipality supports local farming, it must not come at the expense of public safety and order.
“Those who desire to keep animals within this area will have to apply to the Municipal Corporation for a licence,” he advised.
-JIS
