Public Markets and Slaughterhouses Rules (The Bahamas)

Public Markets and Slaughterhouses Rules

Published: 1952-07-12

Subscribe to a Global-Regulation Premium Membership Today!

Key Benefits:

Unlimited Searches
Weekly Updates on New Laws
Access to 5,345,848 Global Laws from 110 Countries
View the Original Law Side-by-Side with the Translation

Subscribe Now for only USD$40 per month.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 3

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– [Original Service 2001] STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS

CHAPTER 240

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

SLAUGHTERHOUSE (OAKES FIELD) ORDER

(SECTION 3(2)) [Commencement 20th September, 1958]

1. This Order may be cited as the Slaughterhouse (Oakes Field) Order.

2. The place described in the Schedule hereto is hereby declared a slaughterhouse within the meaning of the Public Market and Slaughterhouse Act.

SCHEDULE The building known as the New Abattoir situate on lot 6

and the northern portions of lots 15, 16 and 17 of Block 1 in the subdivision known as Oakes Field.

PUBLIC MARKETS AND SLAUGHTERHOUSES RULES

(SECTION 6) [Commencement 12th July, 1952]

1. These Rules may be cited as the Public Markets and Slaughterhouses Rules.

2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Act” means the Public Market and Slaughterhouse Act, or any subsequent enactment to amend the same or in substitution thereof;

“health officer” means a health officer appointed under the Health Services Act;

G.N. 162/1958

G.N. 145/1952 S.I. 24/1956 S.I. 72/1979 5 of 1987

Citation.

Interpretation.

Ch. 231.

CH.240 – 4] PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

“main market building” means that building situated in the market premises over the entrance to which opening on Bay Street, the word “Market” appears, and which contains the office of the supervisor of the market;

“market premises” means all that area bounded on the north by the Nassau Harbour, to the east by Sand’s Alley, to the south by Bay Street and to the west by the property of the William Brewer Company Limited, together with all the buildings and other structures thereon, and shall include the area of water presently known as the Market Basin;

“veterinary officer” means the veterinary officer appointed by the Minister.

PART I THE PUBLIC MARKET AND

SLAUGHTERHOUSE NASSAU 3. The market shall be opened at 6 o’clock a.m. on

every market day and shall remain open until 5.30 p.m., except on Fridays, when it shall close at 1 o’clock p.m. and on Saturdays, when it shall open at 5 o’clock a.m. and close at 8 o’clock p.m. On public holidays, the market shall close at 9 o’clock a.m. the market may at the request of any stallholder be opened by the supervisor on Sundays for the space of one hour for the purpose of supplying meat, vegetables or fruit to any vessel arriving at Nassau after 6 o’clock on the previous evening and the supervisor shall be entitled to charge the sum of two dollars for this service.

4. The bell in the market shall be rung twenty minutes before the hour of closing to afford vendors therein time to remove their wares. No person shall be allowed to remain in any portion of the covered market houses after the hour of closing.

5. No person shall take water from any water supply in the market premises without having first obtained the permission of the supervisor.

Opening hours of market.

Closing time.

Water supply.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 5

6. No spitting, whistling, loud shouting, loud talking, preaching, the playing of any musical instrument or any carpentry work shall be allowed in the market premises.

7. No smoking shall be allowed in any part of the market premises covered by a roof.

8. No person afflicted with any cutaneous or other disease of contagious or infectious character shall be employed or allowed to sell in the market premises.

9. The supervisor of the market shall employ some person or persons to sweep and clean the market premises and remove daily therefrom all refuse and objectionable substances.

10. It shall be the duty of every occupier or holder of any stall or part of a stall in any section of the market —

(a) to keep every stall or part of a stall thoroughly clean at all times;

(b) to sweep up all refuse matter which may have been thrown or deposited or may have fallen on any part of the stall or on the adjoining floor and remove all sweepings and all decayed or rotten or other refuse matter and deposit the same in the dust bins provided for that purpose at least once in every day;

(c) to empty completely and thoroughly cleanse and scrub every cupboard, shelf, table and bench forming part of the stall and every barrel, box or other receptacle in which any produce or other thing may be stored, at least twice in every week on such days as the supervisor shall fix.

11. (1) No person shall use an axe or hatchet in any stall in the market premises in cutting up meat, except upon the blocks which have been specially set apart for that purpose and approved by an officer or officers named by the Minister.

(2) It shall be the duty of every occupier or holder of any stall or part of a stall in the meat market —

(a) to keep all hooks upon which meat may be hung thoroughly clean and polished and free from any rust or any deposit of dust;

Prohibitions.

Smoking prohibited.

Employees to be free from disease.

Cleaners.

Duties of stall holders.

Provisions for keeping meat clean.

CH.240 – 6] PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

(b) to protect all meat exposed for sale on his stall or part of a stall or hung on any hook adjoining his stall from flies by the constant use of the wire screens;

(c) to thoroughly cleanse and scrub every part of his stall, including all chopping blocks, tables, benches, forming part of the stall, any ice chest used by him for storing meat, all knives or other implements used by him for cutting up meat, and the floor adjoining his stall, at least once in every day.

12. The sale of such minor parts of slaughtered animals as may be sold as food except tripe and feet shall be confined to the stalls set apart for the sale thereof.

13. The slaughterhouse may be opened daily at such hour as may suit the reasonable requirements (to be decided by the supervisor) of persons slaughtering animals therein and no person shall be admitted thereto except the owner of the animals, butchers and slaughterers and the slaughterhouse shall be closed as soon as the work of slaughtering is done.

14. (1) It shall be the duty of the supervisor to see that at all times all parts of the slaughterhouse and all utensils and appliances used therein are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition to the satisfaction of a health officer and/or the veterinary officer and that all rules and regulations relating to the slaughterhouse are rigidly adhered to by all users of the slaughterhouse.

(2) The supervisor shall cause all floors to be thoroughly scrubbed and scraped and all filth which may have accumulated between or under any of the floor planks or joists to be removed from time to time as often as may be necessary to the satisfaction of a health officer and/or the veterinary officer.

(3) All walls shall be thoroughly cleansed and limewashed as often as may be necessary or at least once in every month and all ceilings shall be thoroughly cleansed twice in every year, namely, during the first week in January and the first week in July in every year.

Sale of minor parts of slaughtered animals.

Opening hours of slaughterhouse.

Duties of supervisor.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 7

15. Every person using the slaughterhouse for the purpose of slaughtering or cutting up any animal shall immediately upon the completion of the work of slaughtering or cutting up such animal thoroughly wash and cleanse the floor and any wall which may have been fouled by blood or other matter and any utensils, appliances or apparatus which may have been used by him in the process of slaughtering or cutting up of the animals, and he shall forthwith remove all offal and refuse matter from the slaughterhouse.

16. No animal shall be slaughtered or bled before being stunned with the humane gun approved by the Minister.

17. (1) The animals shall be slaughtered except in the Government slaughterhouse or other buildings approved by the Minister.

(2) Slaughtering at the Government slaughterhouse will be carried out three times a week only, except in cases of emergency.

18. No animal shall be slaughtered nor shall the carcass of the slaughtered animal be removed from the slaughterhouse to the meat market or otherwise, until inspected and approved by a health officer and/or the veterinary officer.

19. No hide, skin, offal or intestine shall be kept on the market premises for a period longer than six hours after the same shall have been removed from a slaughtered animal.

20. No cattle shall be permitted to remain in or about the slaughterhouse longer than twenty-four hours after they have been brought therein.

21. No person shall weigh any live hogs or pigs in the market premises.

22. Slaughtering in the slaughterhouse shall be carried out by employees of the Minister only. No slaughterer or cutter-up of meat in the slaughterhouse shall be employed unless he has a certificate from the Minister of Health that he is free from any contagious or infectious disease. Such certificate must be renewed every six months.

Slaughterhouse to be cleaned immediately after job finished.

Humane killing.

Government slaughterhouse.

Inspection by public officer.

Removal of hide, etc.

Removal of cattle.

Weighing of hogs.

Health certificate.

CH.240 – 8] PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

23. The following shall be the rates of slaughterage: 1. Hogs not exceeding 80 lbs. dressed weight... $5.00 each Each additional lb. exceeding 80 lbs............. $.05 per lb. 2. Cattle not exceeding 400 lbs. dressed weight $20.00 each Each additional lb. exceeding 400 lbs........... $.05 per lb. 3. Sheep and Goats............................................ $3.00 each 4 Turtle not exceeding 50 lbs ........................... $.50 each Turtle exceeding 50 lbs ................................. $1.00 each 5 Jew fish ......................................................... $1.00 each

Such fees are payable to the Supervisor of the slaughterhouse.

24. No fish or turtle is to be slaughtered, gutted, scaled or skinned in the slaughterhouse while fresh meat is contained therein.

25. The supervisor is authorised to issue permits for the use of stalls and store rooms in the portion of the market premises assigned for handicrafts, fruit and vegetables at the daily rates following: 5 of 1987, Sch. Stalls....................................................................$1.00 per day. Store rooms .........................................................$1.00 per day.

Such rates shall be payable in the morning of each day and if not paid by 3.00 p.m. of such day, the supervisor shall have the right to remove or cause to be removed the articles from any stall or store room the rental of which has not been paid and to eject the holder of such stall. The above permits are not transferable.

26. The renters of the said stalls shall be permitted to sell handicrafts, fresh fruit, vegetables, sugarcane, dried peas, corn, roasted peanuts, eggs and poultry (other than in the main market building).

27. No poultry shall be permitted to be kept within the main market building.

28. No one shall be permitted to throw in or about the market premises (except in receptacles provided for same) any vegetable matter, garbage or any other substance calculated to cause a nuisance.

Rate s of slaughterage. S.I. 72/1979.

Slaughtering of fish.

Permits for stalls and store rooms.

5 of 1987, Sch.

What may be sold.

No poultry.

Disposal of garbage.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 9

29. No one shall be allowed to attach or hang to any part of the market premises any matter, material or thing calculated to damage or injure the same or to accumulate dirt.

30. The supervisor is authorised to issue permits for the use of stalls in the fish market in the market premises (except those reserved for the sale of turtle as provided in rule 35) at the rate of forty cents per day or part thereof. The person receiving a permit shall not have the right to transfer the same to any other person, and if such person shall not be using his stall for the whole day, the supervisor may permit any other applicant to use the said stall for the unexpired portion of the day upon payment of the sum of forty cents. No person shall have the right to occupy a stall in the fish market except by the permission of the supervisor. All fees are payable in advance to the super- visor.

31. No person other than the vendors of fish shall be allowed at the back of the fish stalls; and such vendors are strictly prohibited from standing in front of the said stalls.

32. No persons shall have the right to sell fish of any kind in any part of the market premises after the closing of the market, and during the time the market is open all fish must be sold in stalls provided for such purpose. All fish sold in the market must be wrapped.

33. The sale of fish, conch, crawfish and turtle in the open street, wharves and abutments is prohibited.

34. No description of fish shall be cleaned in or upon the market premises; nor shall any person permit to be or to remain within any part of the market premises, or throw or permit to be thrown in the basin attached to the market, conch shells, dead crabs or any description of dead shellfish or any putrid or any other offensive matter.

35. Four stalls at the western end of the fish stalls may, whenever required, be reserved for the sale of turtle at the rate of forty cents a day each. All turtle to be sufficiently chopped in the place provided for the slaughter of turtles previous to being placed on such stalls.

36. No live turtle under six pounds weight shall be sold in the market.

Things may not be hung up in market.

Permits for stalls in fish market.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

Position of vendor.

Conditions of sale.

Sale to open street forbidden.

No cleaning of fish on premises.

Sale of turtles. 5 of 1987, s. 2.

S.I. 147/1965.

Six pound limit.

CH.240 – 10] PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

37. Every occupier of any stall in the fish market shall at all times keep all parts of his stall in a clean and wholesome condition and shall at the end of each day thoroughly cleanse and scrub all parts of the stall and of the adjoining ground.

38. A fee of one dollar a day or any part thereof shall be placed upon all boats or smacks of whatever description lying at the wharf for the sale of conches, fish, firewood, crabs or agricultural produce. These boats and smacks shall be placed end on, securely moored head and stern, so as to prevent their coming into contact with the wharf. Such boats and smacks shall haul off from the wharf immediately after their respective cargoes have been disposed of.

39. (1) Every boat or smack entering at the market basin for the purpose of vending therein shall pay the sum of forty cents per day, payment of which sum shall entitle the person in charge of such boat or smack to a space on which to vend under rule 40 without payment of an extra toll.

(2) It shall be the duty of the supervisor, on opening and closing the market, to secure if possible the necessary spaces on the wharf for all vendors on board such boats and smacks.

40. (1) On payment to the supervisor of a toll of forty cents per day by vendors on boats and smacks lying at the market (other than the persons in charge of such boats and smacks which have paid the toll under rule 39, or by vendors from the districts of Carmichael and Adelaide in the Island of New Providence) the sale of live poultry, crabs, firewood, fresh fruit and vegetables or other native agricultural produce shall be permitted on the wharf to a distance not exceeding seven feet from the waterfront at such times as the supervisor shall deem necessary.

(2) In case there are no such vendors the supervisor may allow any other vendors to use the spaces on payment of the toll above prescribed, but the right to occupy such spaces shall be for one day only, and application for the use of them must be made to the supervisor each day at the opening of the market.

Stalls must be kept clean.

5 of 1987, Sch.

Fee for boats at wharf.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

Payment on entering market basin.

5 of 1987, s. 2. Extra permits.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 11

41. No vessel, boat or lighter shall be made fast at the market wharves unless bringing things for sale or to ship or land goods.

42. (1) It shall be the duty of the supervisor and the keeper of every market in the Island of New Providence to see that all parts of the market are at all times kept in a clean and sanitary condition to the satisfaction of the Minister and that all rules and regulations relating to the market are rigidly adhered to by all users of the market.

(2) All floors shall be thoroughly swept and scrubbed and all refuse matter removed at the end of each day.

(3) All walls shall be thoroughly cleaned and lime- washed and all ceilings swept and dusted during the first week in January, April, July and October, in every year.

(4) Properly constructed and covered dust bins shall be placed at convenient places near the entrances to the market, into which all sweepings and refuse matter shall be deposited, and it shall be the duty of the scavenger to remove, empty and immediately replace all such dust bins daily.

(5) Suitable wire screens shall be supplied and fitted by every stall holder in the meat market to prevent any flies from gaining access to any meat exposed for sale on such stall.

43. No persons shall leave any barrels, boxes or bundles of wood lying about their stalls after closing of the market:

Provided that barrels may be used for the storage of produce left over after the day’s sales and intended to be exposed for sale on the following morning and provided also that such produce is not decayed and is inoffensive in sight and smell. In such cases, the barrels may be kept in the spaces between the stalls and rooms and the supervisor shall be the sole judge of the number of barrels which may be so kept and of what may be contained therein. No person is permitted to place vegetables or other produce whether in barrels or otherwise on the ground space in front or at the side of his stall unless so permitted by the supervisor.

44. No person shall attempt to prejudice or injure the sale of any article exposed for sale by decrying the same;

Prohibition of non-selling boats.S.I. 147/1965

Duties of supervisors and keepers.

No boxes, etc. to be left lying around.

No decrying of foods.

CH.240 – 12] PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

nor shall any vendor or person in his employ leave his stall to try and induce persons to give him a preference to try with a loud voice to attract purchasers.

45. No person shall be permitted to sell or expose for sale any article whatever in any part of the market premises other than in the parts set aside for that purpose.

46. No person shall in any manner by barrels, boxes or otherwise, make a stand in any part of the market premises for the purpose of vending therein.

47. No person shall loiter in the market, sit on the blocks or stalls therein or cause any obstruction at the several entrances and passages within or about the market premises.

48. No person shall bring or cause to be brought, or permit or suffer any dog of which he is the owner or keeper to come in or remain about the market premises.

49. No fire shall be lighted within the market except in the furnace provided for that purpose and there shall be no cooking of any kind permitted within the main building.

50. Nails, screws, hooks or pegs shall not be driven into any of the market premises except by permission of the supervisor of the market.

Native produce only may be sold in the northern market shed.

PART II BUTCHERS’ SHOPS IN NEW PROVIDENCE

51. Licences for the sale of butcher’s meat in the Island of New Providence in shops duly approved for the purpose by the Minister will be issued by the supervisor of the Nassau Market on the payment of an annual fee of eighty cents.

52. Over every licensed butcher’s shop shall appear the words, “Licensed to sell Butcher’s Meat”.

All butcher’s and fish shops within the City limits must be equipped with proper refrigeration facilities which shall be approved by the Minister.

Specific selling areas.

No making of stands.

Loitering prohibited.

Dogs prohibited.

Fires prohibited.

Driving of nails.

Licences.

5 of 1987, s. 2.

Licence sign to be displayed.

PUBLIC MARKET AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE [CH.240 – 13

53. (1) It shall be the duty of the licensee or the occupier or the person in charge of every shop or place for which a licence is held for the sale of butcher’s meat —

(a) to keep all hooks upon which any meat may be hung thoroughly clean and polished and free from any deposit of dust and free from rust;

(b) to protect all meat exposed for sale in the shop or hung on any hook on the premises from flies by the constant use of suitable and efficient wire screens;

(c) to thoroughly cleanse and scrub every part of his stall, including all chopping blocks, tables, benches, forming part of the stall, any ice chest used for storing meat intended for sale, all knives, or other implements used for cutting up meat, at least once in every day, and to maintain every part of the premises at all times in a thoroughly clean, wholesome and sanitary condition to the satisfaction of the Minister.

(2) It shall be lawful for the veterinary officer, a health officer, the supervisor, or other accredited representative of the Minister to enter, at any reasonable time during the daytime, upon any such premises dealt with in this rule and to make any examination which may be considered necessary to ascertain if this rule is being complied with.

(3) Every person failing to comply with the provisions of this rule, shall be liable to the penalty as herein stated and further, every person who shall habitually or repeatedly offend against this rule shall be liable to have his licence suspended or revoked.

54. All tolls, rental and rates of every description shall be paid on demand either personally or otherwise to the supervisor of the market at his office at the public market when not otherwise required.

55. Whoever commits a breach of any of these Rules shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty of one hundred dollars.

56. A copy of these Rules shall be affixed on some conspicuous part of the premises of the public market.

Duties of licensee.

Payment of tolls, etc.

Penalty. 5 of 1987, s. 1.

Copy of Rules to be displayed.