Restaurant owner who skinned cat goes to court
The saga of domestic animals on Belizean dinner plates this week moved from urban legend to real life health concern. News 5’s Jose Sanchez reports on the latest developments from Cayo.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Ever since the cat was let out of the bag, it has caused a lot of heartburn for Li Chun Hua. The proprietor of Lee’s restaurant went to San Ignacio Court today to face the charge of preparing a cat carcass for sale. District Public Health Inspector for Cayo, Luis Godoy says that there were several potential health concerns.
Luis Godoy, District Public Health Inspector, Cayo
“Especially in the Cayo district where rabies is endemic, who knows if the cat wasn’t infected with the rabies virus. We had a case two months ago in the San Antonio area, Cayo always had rabies right here in town. So we can’t be killing these domesticated animals just like that. All the meats have to be inspected by the public health inspector. If they will eat it for their personal use, no problem. I have no problems with that but not in a restaurant, a restaurant is a public place.
The night walker, we’re not sure if it was that, that was already frozen in the freezer, so all other meats in there were already contaminated. So everything was seized and condemned.”
While Li and Godoy worked their way to the courtroom, the nation wondered whether or not the cat in question was intended to wind up on unsuspecting consumer’s plate. San Ignacio residents were not shy about sharing their opinions.
Michael Waight
“Personally I don’t think these people were selling so called cat meat to the public. I don’t think so. I think that because we have different people come from different parts of the world and different people have different cultures just like us here in Belize. You can’t go to the states and serve people Iguana, or gibnut. They wouldn’t think that’s nutritious to eat.”
Sharlene Guzman
“Some of my Chinese friends said they don’t buy the puss for them to sell people, they say they buy it to eat themselves.”
Though a few locals were willing to give Li Chun Hua the benefit of the doubt, most people on the streets were not so generous.
Hector Javier Gonzalez
“That’s why I stopped eating from the Chinese them. Maybe I used to eat panades, chicken and all those things. Maybe in the panades puss was in the panades or dog meat and things like that, you understand me. That’s why I stopped eating from there entirely, on a whole because I don’t like the situation that happened the other day.”
Jairo Dias
“You see I feel the people have to stop eat meat and stay on their herbs and ground foods right and stay strong and healthy, you know.”
Jose Sanchez
“How long you have been eating fry chicken?
Eldin Brizuela
“Hmmm, from last week, last year.”
Jose Sanchez
“You eat fry chicken a lot?”
Eldin Brizuela
“No. As I hear they caught those Chinese men with cat.”
Jose Sanchez
“So you stopped eating chicken now?”
Eldin Brizuela
“Yes.”
Jose Sanchez
“What are you eating now?”
Eldin Brizuela
“My dinner from my house.”
Lupita Moriera
“I prefer to go to a Belizean restaurant now. They deserve it better. And what the law should do with that is when they catch them like that they shouldn’t give them a license to do that again. Charge them and don’t give them again.”
Gladys Harris
“Give the Belizean people the preference because we know exactly what we eat from the Belizeans. The Chinese give you anything and we just buy to buy sake, give the Belizean the opportunity.”
Though the street verdict was in, there were problems with the case. Apparently Li was not given his summons in a timely fashion and will have to return to court another day.
Jose Sanchez
“Li Chun Hua won’t be in court until next week, but the overall opinion of the public is clear. If it looks like chicken, if it smells like chicken, and if it tastes like chicken, then it must be…cat. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
Li’s New court date is set for Wednesday
