Village Councils (Market ad Slaughterhouse) By-laws, 2004 (S.I. No. 189 of 2004)

BELIZE: VILLAGE COUNCILS (MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE) BY - LAWS, 2004 ARRANGEMENTOFBY-LAWS 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Application PARTl PRELIMINARY PARTII PUBLIC MARKET 4. Sale of meat. 5. Stalls. 6. One stall per person. 7. Maintenanceofstalls. 8. Rent. 9. Sale of goods. 10. HoursofopeningofMarket. 11. Hoursofbusiness. 12. Publicholidays. 13. Livestock. 14. Examination of meat. 15. Suspected meat. 16. Unwholesome food, etc. 17. Dogs prohibited. 18. Rubbish, etc., in Market. 19. Cleaning market. 20. Private property. 21. Improper behaviour; 22. Smolcing or spitting in-Market. 23. Clerk not to trade. 24. Attendance of clerk in Market. 25. Loitering. 26. Soliciting. 27. Offences iti connection with meat. 28. Rent. 29. Weighing meat in Market. 30. Penalty relating to Market offences. PARTill SLAUGHTERHOUSE 31. Place of slaughter. 32. Hours of opening of Slaughter House. 33. Power to alter hours. 34. Licence required. 35. Licence and requirements for butcher. 36. Cancellation or suspehsion oflicence. 37. Register of licensed butchers, etc. 38. Tying up animals. 39. Register of weights. 40. Weighing animals 41. Examination of animals and meat. 42. Cleaning premises. 43. Cleanj pg and messing meat. 44. Entry restricted. 45. Fees. 46. Weighing meat in Slaughter House. 4 7. Smoking or spitting in Slaughter House. 48: Attendance of Clerk in Slaughter House. 49. Rubbish, etc., in Slaughter House. 50. Penalty relating to Slaughter House offences. 51. Affinnative resolution. Fm.ST SCHEDULE SECOND SCHEDULE No.189] BELIZE: Village Councils STATUTORY INSTRUMENT No. 189 of 2004 BY-LAWS made by the Village Councils in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by section 23 of the Village Councils Act, Chapter 88 of tlte Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003, and all other powers thereunto them enabling. (Gazetted 27th November, 2004.) PARTl PRELIMINARY I.These By-laws maybe cited as the VILLAGE COUNCILS (MARKET AND SLAUGHTER HOUSE) BY-LAWS, 2004. 1 Short title. 2. In these By~ laws, unless the context otherwise requires- Interpretation. "Clerk" means the Clerk of the Market and Slaughter House; "Council" or "Village Council" means a village council established and constituted under the Village Councils CAP. 88. Ac;:,t or any regulations made thereunder; "meat" includes turtle but does not include imported preserved meat contained and sold in airtight tins or barrels, fish or poultry; "village"means anyplace duly declared or defined to be a village within the meaning of section 3 of the Village Councils Act. CAP. 88. 2 Village Councils [No. 189 Application. 3. These By-laws sha11 have effect within the limits of any Sale of meat. Stalls. First Schedule, One stall per person. village in Belize. PARTU PUBLIC MARKET 4. (1) No fresh meat ofcattle, swine, goat or sheep shall be sold in a village unless it shall have been first slaughtered at the Slaughter House according to its rules and regulations and exposed for sale at the Market. (2) Where it is considered necessary or desirable that such meat from outside the village shall be allowed to be sold locally then it shall be first passed by an approved health inspector, and then exposed for sale in the Market by a licensed butcher as if the animal had been slaughtered at the Slaughter House, subject to the payment of Slaughter House and Market fees. 5. The Market shall be fitted with stalls which shall be numbered with distinguishing numbers and shall be appropri ated for the sale of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, groceries, bread, confectionery and such other articles as the Council may determine and may be let-r by the day, at the rate specified in the First Schedule to these By-laws, to persons or firms approved by the Clerk subject to these By-laws. 6. (1) No person or firm shall, except by permission granted by resolution ofthe Council, directly or indirectly hold more than one stall in the Market or sublet the same to another perSon or firm. (2) Stalls shall be rented only to those who·occupy them personally or by an agent on their behalf who does not rent or manage any other stall in the Market. Maintenance 7. Persons renting or occupying any market stall shall of stalls. keep the stall, together with the fixtures, fittings and appurte nances to the stall, clean and in proper order and shall be responsible for any damage to the stall other than by fair wear No. 189] Village Councils and tear and shall not without permission in writing from the Clerk affix extra fixtures or lights and leave any food material in oron it 8. All rents shall be payable in advance. 9. No person shall sell any article on the Market premises otherwise proper stall or place set apart for such purpose by the Village Council. 10. (1) The Market shall be lighted and the stall-holders and their assistants admitted to their stalls at 5 a.m. daily (except Sunday). (2) The Market shall not be opened to the general public or for business purposes until 5 .30 a.m. daily ( except Sunday). (3) Meat stalls may be opened daily ( except Sunday)at 5.30 a.m. and may be closed as soon as all the meat being exposed on the meat stalls shall have been sold or otherwise disposed of. ( 4) On Saturdays meat stalls may be re-opened at 2 p.m. 11. A stall may be opened at 5.30 a.m. daily (except Sunday) and shall be closed at 6 p.m. 12. On all pub lie holidays the Market shall be closed forall purposes at 11 a.m. 13. No livestockexceptpoultryorgameshall be brought into the market. 14. All meat brought into the Market for sale ( other than meat which has been previously examined at the Slaughter House) shall forthwith be submitted for examination, and shall be examined, by the Clerk. 3 Rent. Sale of goods. Hours of opening of Market. Hours of business. Public holidays. Livestock. Examination of meat. 4 Suspected meat. Unwholesome food, etc. CAP. 40. Dogs prohibited. Village Councils [No. 189 15. Ifon the examination referred to in By-law 14 any meat shall have any appearance of disease or unsoundness, the Clerk shall notify the ownerof the meat and unless and unril such meat shall have been approved by a medical officer of health such meat shall not be offered for sale. 16. ( 1) No person shall expose for sale, or have in his or her possession in the Market any bad or unwholesome meat, fish, fruit or vegetables and any such food inaybe dealt with under the Public Health Act. (2) All meat not sold by 6 p .m. must be removed from the Market. (3) No meat left over from the previous day shall be so Id on the stalls, except that, when an overdue amount of meat is likely to be left over, the permission ofthe Village Council through the Clerk, shall be obtained to keep it on ice; such permission will only be granted in exceptional cases, and where such permission has been granted, the meat so kept shall be sold as "Frozen Meat" as referred to inBy-law27 (d) of these By-laws. ( 4) In the event of the possibility of an undue amount of fresh meat remaining unsold, it shall be permissible for the butcher to salt and com such meat provided such salting and coming shall be done before 12 noon; the meat shall be removed each day from the stalls to the room provided for the purpose of storage and such corned meat shall only be brought into the stalls for weighing and selling. 17. (1) No dogs shall be allowed in the Market. (2) If any dog is found in the market, the owner of the dog shall be deemed to have comnlitted an offence against these By-laws. No. 189] Village Coullcils 18. A receptacle shall be provided by the Council for rubbish and refuse and no rubbishorrefuse shall be thrown or deposited in the Market, except in such receptacle. 19. Any lessee or stall-holder soiling the Market shall immediately thereafter thoroughly wash and clean the soiled part of the Market. 20. No barrels, blocks, or other private property shall be pem1i tted to be placed in or about the Market, other than such as maybe deemed requisite bythe Clerk for stall-holders in the pursuit of their business and the barrel, block, or private property placed inor about the Market shall at all times be kept covered and cleaned to the satisfaction of the Clerk. 21. No quarrelsome or riotous conduct, swearing, obscene language, indecency or impropriety of any kind shall be com mitted or used in the Market. 22. No person shall smoke or spit in the Market. 23. The Clerk shall not direct! y or indirectly be concerned in the buying ( except for the use ofhis household), or selling of any article exposed for sale in the Market. 24. The Clerk shall attendattheMarketasrequiredbythe Council and shall be in Market. responsible for the maintenance of order and the general management ofthe Market. 25. No person shall loiter about, sitorlieonanyofthe stalls in or about the Market and any person engaging in such conduct commits an offence and may be ejected from the Market by the Clerk, the Assistant Clerk (ifany), or any Police Officer. 26. No stall-holder or person in the employofa stall-holder shall either directly or indirectly, solicit any person to make a purchase at anyplace within the Market beyond the limits of such stall-holder's stall. 5 Rubbish etc., in Market. Cleaning Market. Private property. Improper behaviour. Smoking or spitting in Market. Clerk not to trade. Attendance of Clerk 24. Loitering. Soliciting. 6 Offences in connection with meat. Rent. First Schedule. Weighing meat in Market, Penalty relating to Market offences. Village Coirncils [No. 189 27. Any person who shall at any stall in the Market sell or offer connection for sale ( a) any part of a loggerhead turtle at the same time and at the same stall at which he is selling or offering or exposing. for sale any part of a greenturtle; (h) Any part of a turtle unless a legible notice is exhibited in a conspicuous place on such stall stating the kind of turtle offered for sale, namely, greenturtle, hawksbill, or loggerhead; (c) any part of a sheep or goat unless a legible. notice is exhibited in a conspicuous place on such stall stating the kind of mutton offered for sale, namely, sheep mutton or goat mutton; or (d) any meat that has been frozen unless a legible notice is exhibited in a conspicuous place on such stall containing the words "Frozen Meat" commits an offence against these By-laws. 28. The rents specified in the First Schedule shall be paid to the Clerk. 29. The weighing of meat shall be done by the owneror his agent in the presence of the Clerk or his representative and according to the Clerk's directions. 30. ( 1) Any person committing an offence against any of these By-laws relating to the Market shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars and in the event of a continuing offence to a further penalty not exceeding ten dollars for each day on which such offence is continued. (2) The tenancy of a person convicted under Sub-By Law ( 1) may be determined by the Council and no part of the rent paid shall be refunded unless the Council by resolution directs a refund. (3) If the Council determines any tenancy under Sub By-Law (2), it may declare the lessee or stall-holder to be disqualified from holding any stall for such period as the Council may determine not exceeding six months. PARTIU SLAUGHTERHOUSE 31. No person shall kill or slaughter any animal or turtle the flesh of which is intended for human food in anyplace within one mile beyond the limits of the village other than in the Slaughter House, except in the case of wild animals which may be shot in the bush. 32. ( 1) The Slaughter House shall be opened on Saturdays from 4a.m. to 4 p.m. and on every other day of the week (except Sunday) Slaughter from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. (2) No animal shall be slaughtered after 4 p.m. on Saturdays or 2 p.m. on any other day of the week. (3) A turtle maybe slaughtered from4 a.m. to 9 a.m. on every day of the week. (4) No turtle shall be slaughtered until it has been inspected and approved the previous day by the Clerk. 33. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the conttaryin these By-laws, ifi'n the opinion of the Medical Officer of Health climatic conditions at anytime warrant changing the hours of slaughtering from morning to evening. it shall be pennissible to do so, and the hours for slaughtering in such case shall be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (2) Hours for exhibition of cattle to be slaughtered and hours for the opening and closing of the Market shall also Place of slaughter. Hours of opening of Slaughter House. Power to alter hours. Licence required. Licence and requirements for butcher. be altered from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., ifthecircumstances mentioned inSub-By-Iaw(l) occur. 34. No person shall be allowed to kill or slaughter any animal in the Slaughter House unless such person holds a licence from the Council under these By-laws. 3 5. ( 1) Any person applying for a licence as a butcher shall produce to the Clerk a certificate from a medical officer of health to the effect that he has demonsttated his ability to be a butcher and on payment of twenty dollars, the Clerk shall grant such licence to the applicant. (2) Each licensed butcher or his assistant shall pos sess the requisite slaughtering knives, suchlmives to be passed by the Medical Officer ofHealth and always kept sharp and in a sanitary state. (3) Every butcher and his assistant shall be licensed annually and before being licensed each butcher or assistant shall produce a certificate from a registered medical practitio ner stating that he is in a fit state of health and free from any contagious or infectious disease and that is a fit and proper person to be licensed as a butcher. ( 4) Notwithstanding the possession of such a certifi cate, the Medical Officer of Health may,if he considers it necessary, call upon either the butcher or assistant to be. examined at anytime. (5) Every person working as a butcher or butcher's assistant shall be dressed in a clean butcher's coat, apron and a suitable cap when handling meat, such cap, coat and apron to be approved by the Medical Officer ofHealth. 36. (1) Notwithstanding the possession of a certificate referred to in By-law 35, any butcher or butcher's assistant who is convicted by the District Magistrate for cruelty to animals while the animalis being slaughtered is liable to have his licence cancelled for six months for the first offence and on conviction for any subsequent offence to have his licence cancelled permanently. (2) Any licensed butcher or butcher's assistant who is reported for uncleanliness, non-compliance with the rules or unseemly conduct, may have his licence suspended or can celled or may be charged with an offence against these By-laws or both. 37. (1) A Register of Licensed Butchers and Butcher's Assistants shall be kept in the office of the Council. (2) The RegisterofLicensed Butchers and Butcher's Assistants shall be open for inspection by a medical officer of healthoranysanitaryofficerandacopyshallbesuppliedtothe Clerk. 3 8. (I) Any animal intended for slaughter shall be tied up or penned in the Slaughter House Yard in the place allotted not later than 3 p.m. on the day previous to slaughtering and shall be presented for inspection between the hours ofl p.m. and 3 p.m.daily. (2) Each licensed butcher must see that his animal is properly tied up or penned in the Slaughter House Yard and the Council shall not be responsible for the loss of any animal. 3 9. A Register o fW eights shall be kept by the Clerk for the purpose of recording the weights of animals about to be slaughtered and the Clerk is required from time to time to inspect the Register ofW eights to ensure that it is properly kept. Cancellation or suspension of licence. Register of licensed butchers. Tying up animals. Register of weights. Weighing animals. Examination of animals and meat. Clenning premises. Clenning and dressing meat. Entry restricted. Fees. Second Schedule. Weighing meat in Slaughter House. 40. Animals intended for slaughter shall be weighed on the weighbridge established for such purpose on the Market pre mises and it shall be incumbent on persons in charge of such animals, to notifythe Clerk when such animals shall be weighed. 41. The Clerk shall examine the condition of all animals brought to be slaughtered and of the meat intended to be offered for sale and if any such animal or meat shall have any appearance of disease or unsoundness he shall notify the owner of the animal or meat and unless the animal or meat shall have been approved by a medical officer ofhealth such animal shall not be slaughtered nor shall such meat be offered for sale. 42. Any person using the Slaughter House for killing any animal shall, immediately after slaughtering such animal thor oughly wash and clean the flooring, tables or other parts of the main building or other erection used and soiled by such killing. 43. All meat shall' be properly cleaned and dressed before leaving the Slaughter House and shall be covered with cloth to the satisfaction of the Clerk and conveyed in a clean contriv ance suitably covered in a clean cart, van or boat. 44. No person other than a licensed butcher or butcher,s assistant shall be in the Slaughter House Yard or its precincts at any time, except officers and servants of the Council and public health officers. 45. The fees specified in the Second Schedule shall be paid on demand to the Clerk for all animals killed at the.Slaughter House. 46. ( 1) All meat on which the fees are charged according to weight shall be weighed by the owner or his agent in the presence of the Clerk and according to the Clerk's directions. (2) The weight of all meat except turtle shall be ascertained after the carcass has been dressed. (3) The weight of turtle shall be ascertained before it is slaughtered. 4 7. No person shall smoke or spit in the Slaughter House. 48. The Clerk shall attend at the Slaughter House as required by the Council and shall be responsible for the maintenance of order and the general management of the Slaughter House. 49. A receptacle shall be provided for rubbish or refuse and no rubbish or refuse shall, be thrown or deposited in or about the Slaughter House except in such receptacle. 5 0. Any person committing an offence against these By laws relating to the Slaughter House shall be liable on summary conviction to a penaltynot exceeding twenty-five dollars. 51. These By-laws shall be subject to the affirmative resolution of the National Assembly. MADE bythe Village Council this 19th day of October, 2004. JHt¼P7 /4z~ (ELEANOR SANDLIN) (Chairperson) National Association ofVillage Councils Smoking or spitting in Slaughter House. Attendance of Clerk in Slaughter House. Rubbish, etc., in Slaughter House. Penalty relating to Slaughter House offences. Affirmative resolution. 12 Stall Village Councils FIR.STSCHEDULE (By-laws 5 and 28) RENT FORMAR.KET STALLS Rr.nt For a Beef, Veal or Pork Stall ............................................................... $7.50 For Sheep, Goat and Game Stall ......................................................... $3.75 For Fish and Turtle Stall ...................................................................... $5.40 Stall for sale of Dry or Corned Fish only .............................................. $4,50 NQil§ [No. 189 Stalls in respect of which a daily rental is not provided in the Schedule, may neverfueless be rented for a day at $1.00 each. Furthermore, if a stall is being used as a saloon or restaurant, the rent shall be $2.00 per day. The term "day" shall mean from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or part of such day. ~ SECOND SCHEDULE (By-law45) FEES FOR USE OF SLAUGHTER.HOUSE full! For Beef and Calves ............................................................................. $7.50 For Pigs ............................................................................................... $4.50 For Sheep, 4mb, Kids, Goats, Turtles and wild animals ....................... $3.00