Latest update January 9th, 2025 3:32 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Does Guyana have a food safety law?

Jul 29, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Among the issues discussed at the recent Diaspora Engagement Conference were trade and investment and the role the Diaspora can play in helping to attract investment into Guyana as well as assist in finding markets for local products and produce. Diaspora communities, apart from being a sizable market itself for local products, usually play a useful role in introducing others in their neighborhoods, workplaces and places of worship to products from their homeland.
For many countries, Diaspora communities represent a sizable market. It is for this reason that the Caribbean Diaspora lobbied hard to ensure that trade and investment were included in the recent new US Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act and specifically speaks to the issue of market access.
In Guyana’s case, several of our fresh fruits and vegetables, for which there are big markets in Queens and Brooklyn alone, are denied entry because we do not and cannot meet the food safety and other phytosanitary measures required by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In order to meet these measures, it requires a number of processes and inspections from farm to fork which have to be part of a food safety policy and set of regulations which the exporting country, in this case Guyana must have in place.
In recent discussions with US officials, in my capacity as president of the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC), about helping Guyana with training and equipment to move this process forward, it was pointed out that Guyana does not have a Food Safety Law which should first be enacted before any meaningful assistance could be provided. I am informed that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved funding for a laboratory which, once operational would be a key component of Guyana’s preparation in meeting international requirements for exports of produce and food products.
So my question is why doesn’t Guyana have a Food Safety Law? Brief research which I undertook revealed that a Food Safety Bill was drafted in 2013 arising from the IDB funded Agricultural Export Diversification Program (ADP). Usually reliable sources tell me that this Bill has languished ever since due to “turf” competition between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health, a situation that has spanned both the former and the current administrations. A requirement that would provide for millions of dollars of agricultural produce should not languish because two ministries can’t decide which would be “head honcho” of the proposed Food Safety Authority for which the draft Bill provides.
Expanded exports of agricultural produce and products will not only earn foreign exchange for Guyana but will generate hundreds of jobs as well as provide increased income for our farmers. I hope the cabinet of President David Granger will address this issue with a sense of urgency. If for any reason my usually reliable source has not fed me reliable information as to why this Bill is languishing, then I hope the relevant authority would explain the delay.
Wesley Kirton

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Seven Regional Champions to vie for direct promotion single spot in Elite League Season Seven

Seven Regional Champions to vie for direct promotion single spot in...

Jan 09, 2025

Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is set to commence the highly anticipated Elite League Qualification Playoffs on Saturday, January 11, 2025. This knockout-style...
Read More
Kennard Memorial Turf Club expresses sincere gratitude

Kennard Memorial Turf Club expresses sincere...

Jan 09, 2025

Canada-based Guyanese Umpire Suresh Budhoo excited to officiate at upcoming IMC Over-50 World Cup in Sri Lanka

Canada-based Guyanese Umpire Suresh Budhoo...

Jan 09, 2025

Anil Beharry Real Estate and Related Services contributes to CWC Bomb Squad award ceremony

Anil Beharry Real Estate and Related Services...

Jan 09, 2025

Alarm in West Indies over radical two-division plan for Test cricket

Alarm in West Indies over radical two-division...

Jan 08, 2025

After 18 years hiatus, West Indies arrive in Pakistan for Test series

After 18 years hiatus, West Indies arrive in...

Jan 08, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]