A CARIBBEAN Food Safety Initiative on legislative reform was launched on Tuesday, September 10 with the signing of an agreement between the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Caribbean Programme Co-ordinating (CPC) Office (PAHO/WHO), and the Caribbean Regional Programme (CPR) Office of USAID. The agreement involves a USAID grant of US$641,558 for the modernisation of a food, animal and plant health legislative framework in CARICOM countries.
Signing on behalf of the PAHO was Mrs. Veta Brown, the Caribbean Programme Co-ordinator, and for USAID/CRP, Mr. Ron Striker, the Director.
The initiative had its genesis in 1999, through the Regional Assistant Programme when the USAID/Washington office collaborated with the CARICOM Secretariat, and representatives of Caribbean member countries, PAHO, and other donor organisations in launching the first phase. Arising from that experience, PAHO facilitated a needs assessment exercise which determined that modernisation of the sanitary and phytosanitary legislative framework was a priority requirement for countries' compliance with regulations by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Following on that assessment, PAHO designed and presented to USAID a programme for the modernisation of the food, animal and plant health legislative framework.
The proposal involves the review, update, where necessary, and enactment of the legislation; provision of training for regulatory officials, the private sector and consumers, in the implementation and usage of the legislation; drafting of supportive Acts and Regulations for strengthening the diagnostic capacity of Caribbean food laboratories in quality systems, also in laboratory analysis and diagnostics in the early detection of varying food contaminants. The proposal also involves training of Food Analysts in Quality Assurance Systems; and the involvement of community participation in changing the perceptions or attitudes of consumers of foods.
In commenting on the agreement, the CPC said that PAHO was pleased to strengthen its involvement in the Regional initiative in the hope of achieving sustainable development in food safety practices and support of the movement for a Single Market Economy.
The CRP/USAID Director expressed similar sentiments in affirming that USAID's commitment was to the overall achievement of increased capacity for trade intervention and sustainability.
