Opposition insists chicken was smuggled

Last Updated on Sunday, 3 December 2023, 12:25 by Denis Chabrol

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton’s office on Sunday maintained that chicken was being smuggled into Guyana from neighbouring Suriname and has gone as far as identifying two vehicles that were allegedly involved in the movement of more than 50,000 pounds of the meat.

Despite the Ministry of Agriculture’s release of correspondence and other documentation from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) showing that approval was granted for the importation of chicken by the State-owned New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC) to ease that meat shortage and keep the price in-check, Mr Norton’s office called on Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha to explain why two chicken-laden vehicles were detained at a police station East Berbice without any documents authorising the imports.

“He must also explain why were vehicles with license number (editor omits vehicle number), which had 36,000 pounds of chicken, and (editor omits vehicle number), which had 22,000 pounds, held at Whim Police Station without any documentation permitting the importation,” the Opposition Leader’s Office said.

Sunday’s statement did not retract previous accusations against the Minister who has warned that he would be filing a defamation lawsuit against Mr Norton.

The Opposition Leader’s Office said the letter the Minister produced from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority “does little to refute that there was smuggling of chicken” and he asked that authentic proof be provided to Guyanese about “who issued the permission to these two vehicles to import the chicken and could he publish an un-fabricated copy of the said permission.”

The Opposition Leader also queried why it was only as a result of Saturday’s release that government said there was a chicken shortage.

The Agriculture Ministry had said that local chicken consumption has vastly increased, resulting in the local supply being unable to meet the growing demand. Further, the Ministry said the decision to import chicken was to not only ensure adequate supplies but also to stabilize prices in an effort to protect consumers.