Guyana, Haiti ink agreement to encourage food traceability

Mar 22, 2013 News

A Memorandum of Understanding was yesterday signed between the Heads of State of Guyana and Haiti which will pave the way for the Haitian food safety and traceability initiative to be adopted here.

Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Richard Casimir and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett sign the agreement (GINA photo)

Following a meeting held at the Office of the President yesterday between Presidents Donald Ramotar and Joseph Martelly, the latter being the Chairman of Caricom, the ambitious accord was signed by Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pierre Richard Casimir and Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, on behalf of their respective nations.
Speaking of the development yesterday was President Martelly, who revealed during a press conference at the Caricom Secretariat, that the signing occurred following discussions with the local Head of State. That meeting also saw the two deliberating on decisions that were earlier made regarding security, the reform process in Caricom, preparation for the focus on transportation and launch of the approved Caricom Aid for Trade Strategy.
“We also discussed moving ahead with a concentrated programme of assistance to help Haiti participate more fully in Caricom,” President Martelly disclosed.
Moreover, it was agreed that a team from the Caricom Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General Irwin LaRocque who also shared the spotlight yesterday, would visit Haiti for a full and comprehensive briefing on the activities of Caricom and “how this important work can directly assist Haiti.”
The planned discussions, he said, will be held with the Government of Haiti, Ministers and other officials, as well as with the private sector and civil society.
According to President Martelly, the discussions will have a focus on the specific things that Haiti has to do to participate fully and benefit from the Caricom Single Market and Economy.
He disclosed, too, that in the area of health, Haiti has been an integral part of regional initiatives such as the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) and very soon “we will explore with the newly established Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), collaboration in other areas of specific interest to Haiti.”

President Joseph Martelly (L) and Caricom Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque during yesterday’s press briefing.

Turning his attention to the work of the Caricom Secretariat, President Martelly disclosed yesterday that there is a lot that is being done at the Regional level to be supportive of Member States adding that “we must tell our people and officials about this so that they can appreciate our Caricom more, not only the good work that is being done by the Caricom Secretariat, but also by our institutions and agencies.”
President Martelly’s visit here represents the first time that he has come to Guyana since taking up the Chairmanship of Caricom on January 1, 2013. He will serve in that capacity until 30 June, 2013. His visit officially commenced on Wednesday and will culminate today.
During the first day of his visit he met with Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, and had discussions with his executive management team on matters which came out of a meeting held in Haiti last month, with a view to moving forward with some of the decisions that were derived. These, according to Martelly, include improving food safety and traceability, which he noted, is important to take advantage of the trade opportunities, both globally and regionally, even as efforts are made to ensure that products meet the standard demanded by the various countries.
The Haitian President insisted yesterday that Haiti is currently taking the lead in this area adding that “in fact last (Wednesday) night my Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs held discussions on this matter with the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Tourism, of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs and the Secretary General and his technical officers.”
Martelly disclosed that at that forum, an agreement was made that a team from the Caricom Secretariat would travel to Haiti in a few weeks to see the work that is already being done in Haiti and to discuss the possibilities of applying the Haitian project of traceability and its approach to all Caricom members.