 In anticipation of an increase in slaughtering of animals to satisfy the demand for local meats during the festive season, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs will increase surveillance and monitoring of butchering activities in all communities. This is to ensure that persons involved in slaughtering and selling of meats are in compliance with the public health regulation and that products offered for sale are wholesome and fit for human consumption. Consequently, the Ministry is taking this opportunity to remind butchers and person intending to slaughter and offer meat for sale of the following in order to facilitate a seamless process. All butchers and their helpers must be in possession of valid health certificates. Visit the local environmental health offices to register the date of slaughter and to obtain a slaughterhouse license. Butchers must obtain a butcher's license or permit to slaughter from the police. All animals to be slaughtered must be on site 24 hours before the date of slaughter in order to facilitate an anti-mortem inspection. Permit from the police, anti-mortem certificates from the veterinary division, health certificates and slaughterhouse license from the environmental health division must be presented to the inspecting officer prior to carrying out a post-mortem inspection. Slaughter areas must be cleaned before the slaughtering process and be maintained in a sanitary condition. Slaughter areas must have sufficient and well-distributed light. The premises must be supplied with portable water. Butchers and their assistant must be appropriately dressed in clean clothes and closed shoes. The carcass and pluck must be hung in order to facilitate the inspection. Meat offered for sale must be stored in a manner that protects it from elements of the weather and against contaminations such as flies and dust. Absence of these documents including in sanitary conditions and temperature abuse of meat and meat products are breaches of the public health regulation and may result in the meat being seized and condemned. Consumers must look for the inspected and passed stamp which indicate that the meat has been inspected for wholesomeness by the officers of the environmental health division or a certificate of wholesomeness issued by the inspecting officer. For more information, contact the Bwadawaj office, Viewford office or Sufria office.