BAHA looks at bio-terrorism
Terrorism is a subject that seems very remote in out-of-the-way Belize, but with bombs going off from London to Port of Spain, you can never be too sure. Today officials gathered to talk about public safety, not from bombs but from someone tampering with our food supply. News Five’s Jacqueline Woods has more.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
How safe is the food you eat? According to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, BAHA, while the country has a very good track record on food safety, we should not become complacent. Today those involved in the industry were briefed on how Belize would respond to bio-terrorism; that is any attack made through contamination of foods, animal, or plant products and drugs. BAHA Food Safety Director, Dr. Michael DeShield explains why we should be concerned.
Dr. Michael DeShield, Director, Food Safety, BAHA
?Just look at what happen to London recently, you know it can happen anywhere, you may just have a policy that is aligned with some country or something like that and somebody take offence to that and they may target you. Besides, we export to a lot of these countries, and so we have to assure them that our system that we have here, particularly with reference to food safety is a very good and a solid sound one that they don?t have to worry about when they buy food from Belize.?
The participants were updated on the new regulations that are being put in place at home and what has been occurring internationally. DeShield says food safety programmes are not only a basic requirement of world trade, but for the sustainable development of economic and agricultural resources.
Dr. Michael DeShield
?We have to monitor what is happening internationally for market access of our products, so we are looking at what is happening out there and updating them so that they can be prepared. We are looking down the road to the future. What?s going to come on stream so we?re not caught with out pants down, basically.?
Belize?s food safety programmes are being closely monitored by a project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank through its multilateral investment fund. The project supports trade in the region from Panama to Mexico and is coordinated in Belize by Luciano Chi.
Luciano Chi, National Coordinator, BID/FOMIN-OIRSA
?The BID/FOMIN-OIRSA project works along with BAHA, the Ministry of Agriculture, and other organisations that play a role in this topic, which is bio-terrorism and food safety.?
?Seeing that all the countries in the region have their food safety system in place, which we know is vital for all our countries for our industries, for the regulators, which play a major role in all these aspects. Bio-terrorism also is a major issue from the United States of America, which affects our markets, and all the countries have to comply with the bio-terrorism thing and the food safety aspect in the production of safe food, wholesome food, that will be good for our consumers.?
Chi says based on the food safety system in Belize, he believes the country is doing well in securing the products we market locally and internationally. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.
