Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Government will move to present the Food Safety Bill to the National Assembly before the beginning of the 2014 budget debates. This is according to Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy who said government is in the final stages of completing the Food Safety Bill, which it hopes to present in the National Assembly for the first reading and approval.
Dr Ramsammy said the Agriculture Ministry has concluded its part and Cabinet has given the approval for the bill to be vetted by the Office of the Attorney General before it is presented. “It is presently being worked on by the AG chamber to ensure that the bill is consistent with the laws and Constitution of Guyana. Once they are finished with this, the next step is for us to present it for its first reading,” Dr Ramsammy explained.
The agriculture minister said it was important that the bill be presented before Budget 2014, since the budget debates would take centre stage in all parliamentary affairs. “My intention is to move that bill to the special select committee of the Parliament and once it is read once and twice, then all will be in place to have it streamlined for passing.”
Food safety agency
Dr Ramsammy said the bill will facilitate the production of high-quality healthy food for Guyanese. In addition, it will enhance the country’s reputation as a net exporter of food. The bill is important, since it seeks to establish a food safety agency that will ensure harmonised regulation of the food industry, from the farm to the consumer.
This bill, he added, is in keeping with the National Food Security Strategy, which has several components. Minister Ramsammy noted that success has been recorded in all of the components. These include: the facilitation of sustainable and stable employment and the promotion of systems for consumption of healthy foods for increased nutrition of all Guyanese.
Food security
The third aspect is promoting increased institutional coordination and functionality for improved food and nutrition security.
Dr Ramsammy said Guyana has had great success in providing enough food for its people. He noted that government is now working to address the nutritional aspect of the strategy. Guyana has also been able to significantly increase its exports of various agricultural products.
The Food Safety Bill has been discussed widely by stakeholders, and the Agriculture Ministry has ensured that it was subjected to the relevant scrutiny. The bill was drafted after considerable consultation back in 2001. The draft was also presented to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) for their input.
