On Thursday, Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, met with a team from the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) as part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen collaboration in agricultural health and food safety. The team was led by CAHFSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Gavin Peters.
During the meeting, Minister Mustapha said that while Guyana has a Food Safety Authority, amendments are needed to the legislation governing the agency.
“We have a Food Safety Authority, but it is not as active as it should be because the legislation contains several punitive clauses. We will be taking it to Parliament to have it amended. Once that is done, we will have a more robust Food Safety Authority, with all relevant agencies operating under one umbrella; the Guyana Food Safety Authority,” he explained.
He added that CAHFSA should work with member states to introduce modern legislative frameworks aimed at establishing and strengthening food safety authorities across the region.
Minister Mustapha also underscored the need for CARICOM countries to develop legislation to support food security.
“I think there is a need to develop legislation for a food security bill, allowing countries to pass laws that guarantee food security. While we may have inherited certain frameworks from organizations like the United Nations and other international bodies, each country should have its own legislation to ensure citizens have the right to food and that governments uphold their obligation to provide it,” he stated.
The Minister disclosed that the Government is currently developing a food security bill. He noted that, with His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali leading regional efforts on food security, there is growing interest in ensuring that the necessary legislative frameworks are established across the region.
Minister Mustapha also highlighted that Guyana has been working closely with countries such as Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to remove non-tariff barriers.
It was further disclosed that the 27th Meeting of the CARICOM Committee of Chief Veterinary Officers (CCCVO) is scheduled to be held in Guyana in 2027. This year, the meeting was hosted in St. Eustatius, which saw participation from 20 CARICOM Member States.
