THE EDITOR, Sir:
I HAVE worked in the ackee industry as a factory worker, an analyst and an adviser, for more than six years. Imagine how despondent I feel to know that the only factory currently allowed to supply ackees, the main ingredient of our national dish, to Jamaicans residing in the Unites States of America, is located in Haiti (Revision of the Food and Drug Administration import alerts May 22, 2006). This is unacceptable. By our neglect, we managed to erode the progress made six years ago when the ban, which was imposed on our locally-produced canned ackees, was reversed.
NOT IMPRESSED
Having read the article, 'MoU signed to test ackee', published Thursday, June 1, I was far from impressed. Dr. Thomas does not inspire any confidence at this time when we consider that the need for prudent scrutiny of our hypoglycin levels had required urgent attention for at least two years, yet we did nothing to stem the detrimental practices employed in the industry.
We were always aware of the support necessary for the testing of our ackees. As a consequence, in 2002 we even sent a team to Canada to study methods of analysing the hypoglycin content in ackees. This team comprised persons from the Bureau of Standards (BSJ), the Scientific Research Council (SRC), Technological Solutions Limited (TSL) and the University of the West Indies (UWI). These individuals returned and made invaluable contributions to their respective organisations. Currently, BSJ, TSL and UWI have adequate resources in place and are actively involved in hypoglycin testing.
SHIPMENTS CEASED
The article also stated that since December last year, shipments of ackees from Jamaica had ceased. This is not true and can be verified by a visit to the FDA's Import Refusal website.
Time is short and the outgoing executive director of the Bureau of Standards should be addressing the question of where do we go from here. First, the various agencies, BSJ, JEA, Jamaica Agroprocessors Association (JAPPA) and the Ministry of Agriculture need to acknowledge the root causes of our current state and commit to the required damage control and sustainable development of this industry. We cannot continue to overlook the actions of those factories which are non-compliant with scientifically established food safety standards. This, we have proved, will certainly result in the death of the industry.
In December last year, Dr. Andre Gordon commented that "We have come to the end of the precipice and are looking over the edge." Well, Dr. Gordon, we jumped and are urgently in need of salvation.
I am, etc.,
CONCERNED AND HOPEFUL
Braeton, St. Catherine
