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GMSA worried about lack of leadership at GA-FDD
– calls on Minister to ensure compliance with rules, regulations, and standards
Kaieteur News – The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has a crucial role in maintaining the nation’s health and well-being through speaking directly as a regulatory body on the importation of food, drugs and other like materials into Guyana.
GMSA President, Rafeek Khan
Over the last few years, the GA-FDD had made significant strides towards delivering on its mandate to the nation.
This observation was made in a release issued yesterday by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), which noted that it has been monitoring the recent developments at the GA-FDD and wishes to express its concerns.
According to the release, the GMSA, through the Agro-Processing Sub-sector Chairman, has indicated that there is a seeming lack of leadership “as a result of the Director’s absence, which could call this quality reputation of GA-FDD into question, hinder progress and also raises concerns of transparency and accountability.”
The GMSA therefore, “wishes to urge that this department, which comes under the Ministry of Health, be empowered to carry out its mandate independently and effectively.”
Added to this, the GMSA noted that, “We also requested that the relaxing of the rules mandated by law regarding the importation of food and other products into Guyana, be re-examined.” In this regard, the association noted that it has actively engaged the Ministry of Health to review and relax the said provisions made by law. However, “we are concerned that the agreement created, which allows for the importation of items on the basis of documentation from a non-regulatory body in Florida, is not working as was initially intended since we continue to see questionable items imported into the country, based on documentation from the said body in Florida.”
Added to this, the GMSA said that, “While we are cognisant of the many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the issues associated with the global supply chain, we should not compromise on the nation’s health and well-being.”
The Standards regarding the origin, labelling and naming of local distributors on labels where necessary is very clear. However, this standard is being flouted in some cases, while our sister CARICOM countries rigidly enforce this, the GMSA observed. These actions, it noted, are contradictory to the spirit of the recently passed Local Content Act. Moreover, the GMSA said that it is calling on the Minister of Health to ensure the compliance of rules, regulations, and standards and to empower the GA-FDD to so do.
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