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New vet lab behind schedule
– completion dependent on arrival of AC unit
The new US $2.5M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory being built at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara is behind schedule for completion.
According to Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the facility has gone past its November 2013 deadline and completion of the project is now dependent on the installation of a state of the art air condition unit, which is expected in the country in another two weeks.
Construction of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab was 55 percent completed during last September.
The equipment will be brought to Guyana from Texas. Its price is inclusive in the lab’s overall cost, Dr. Ramsammy said yesterday.
The Minister noted too that the facility is about 84 percent complete. He said that as soon as the air condition unit is installed, the final touches to the building will commence.
Dr. Ramsammy expressed pleasure with the ongoing works, adding that he is confident that the facility will be beneficial to the livestock sector.
The laboratory will have the capability to test, detect and diagnose diseases affecting animals, ultimately improving the livestock sector.
It is being built on the site where the Animal Health Laboratory once stood. That building was demolished and redesigned, since the facility was hardly ever used, and had not been functioning as a full-fledged laboratory.
Dr. Ramsammy explained that the Animal Health Lab was operating as a sample holding facility, and that tests had to be done overseas. However, with the new diagnostic lab, the resources will be made available to allow for testing to be done locally.
When the laboratory is commissioned, it will be equipped to test for brucellosis which affect mainly sheep, goats, pigs, cattle and dogs; bovine (cattle) diseases; leptospirosis; and tuberculosis, among others.
Just recently, Cabinet announced its approval for the contracts to deliver, install and commission other equipment for the lab at a cost of Euros 265,825.
The Minister noted also that his Ministry is working to have the laboratory accredited, so that the tests done here can be recognized abroad.
Dr. Ramsammy had told Kaieteur News that the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is critical as Guyana moves towards consolidating its food security and lowering its high importation cost.
It was further noted that soon, there will be a database on the Veterinary Practitioners’ Act and a Veterinary Council will be set up to register all veterinarians and veterinary technicians across the country.
He also made mention of the Animals (Movement and Disease Prevention) Act, which is intended to address the wellbeing of animals.
The Agriculture Minister said that wanting to improve the quality of meat produced locally, especially for exports, would call for healthy animals, thus, a credible animal health lab is necessary.
The Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is, and will remain under the supervision of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), which is headed by Dr. Dindyal Permaul.
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