The Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) and Pan Caribbean Sugar Company are moving to address the issue of stray animals on the parish's roadways, with plans afoot to build an animal pound in the parish.
In recent years, concerns have been raised about stray animals causing a nuisance to motorists, resulting in some vehicle crashes and property damage in Westmoreland.
Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Danree Delancy told Thursday's meeting of the WMC that the plans for the pound are progressing, with Pan Caribbean Sugar Company coming on board to support the initiative.
"We have the matter and the challenge as well of stray animals in the parish. I was at a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) up by Pan Caribbean (Sugar Company), and it was a topical issue," Delancy said.
"We discussed possible solutions, and we are looking forward to hearing more words on this matter from our partners in terms of (from) Pan Caribbean themselves, in terms of the Ministry of Agriculture, in terms of RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority), in terms of the police," added the mayor.
He added that as more information becomes available, the councillors will be updated of the plans.
A day before the WMC meeting, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, spoke to the developments surrounding the plans for the animal pound after a meeting at Pan Caribbean Sugar Company.
Green said more meetings are to be had on the matter, and a task force is to be established over the next few months to move forward.
However, Green said the sugar company has already identified an area that can be used for the pound, and indicated that the WMC has agreed to using that land for the facility.
Company officials have revealed that local cane farmers are also being affected by stray animals, especially cattle, which eat the sugar cane plants, causing damage to the roots.