MARIGOT: Having obtained the health approval required for its reopening, the Saint-Martin slaughterhouse has been in operation since October 18, 2022. To fully relaunch this part of the agricultural sector, the structure is available to cattle and goat breeders.
On Wednesday, November 23, Valérie Fonrose, president of the public establishment for the management and operation of the Saint-Martin slaughterhouse (EGEA), invited the press to the site of the slaughterhouse, which is located next to the Central Kitchen in Grand-Case, for a visit and a presentation of the slaughter process by Elie Touzé, director of the slaughterhouse, and Michel Vély, chief veterinary officer. Also,present, was Alain Gros-Désormeaux, territorial councilor member of the office, Frantz Gumbs, deputy of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, and Whit Javon, butcher employed there.
With a current frequency of one cattle slaughtered per week, the managers of the slaughterhouse call on cattle and goat breeders and dealers to use the operational structure that meets the current standards of hygiene and safety. They also want to diversify the services offered with, among others, the installation of a cutting workshop and the maturation of meat. The guided tour followed the route taken by an animal brought to the slaughterhouse. After the entrance to the slaughterhouse, the animal is examined by the veterinary inspector Wilfried Clark who checks its health status before authorizing the slaughter.
The animal then enters the structure through a special door to be stunned by electronarcosis, a process that triggers the immediate loss of consciousness of the animal and bled directly to ensure the health quality of the meat. Once the animal has been skinned and the carcass prepared and weighed, traceability and hygiene are ensured continuously throughout the production chain, with a second veterinary inspection and placement in cold storage. EGEA, COM, and the State are working together to ensure the sustainability of the livestock industry in St. Maarten and hope to work together with the breeders in this regard. As a reminder, illegal slaughter is punishable by 6 months of imprisonment and a €7,000 fine.
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