TT places ban on Guyana meat

THE Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries has put a ban on all poultry meat from Guyana after a duck virus has been discovered in Guyana.

A press release from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries said, “As instructed by the chief veterinary officer, Animal Health Sub-Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, in accordance with the Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act, Chap. 67:02, please be informed that, with immediate effect, all and any raw and cooked poultry meat from Guyana is banned from entry into TT, until further notice.

“Upon arrival at ports of entry, such items are therefore to be seized for destruction. Kindly contact the National Animal Disease Centre (693-1682; 693-1501) during normal working hours when seizures are carried out, so that transportation and destruction arrangements can be organised by, or on behalf of, a veterinary officer. I thank you for your continued co-operation.”

Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat said an international organisation facilitated the ban. “There is an international organisation that oversees the trade in animals and meat products, it is called the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health).”

Rambharat said Guyana notified the OIE, informing the organisation that they have discovered a duck virus in part of Guyana. The minister said TT decided to put a ban on meat from Guyana as a precaution, but the countries don’t trade with each other. “As a precaution we have banned the entry of raw or cooked poultry from Guyana. We don’t send poultry to Guyana and Guyana doesn’t send poultry to us, but it is possible that passengers arriving from Guyana could have in their possession raw or cooked poultry. The instruction we have given to Customs is to seize and destroy what is coming into Trinidad.”

Rambharat said the virus did not exist in TT and steps must be taken under international practices to keep the virus out of this country. The ban will remain in place until TT is satisfied that the virus has been eliminated in Guyana, Rambharat said.

President of the Supermarket Association of TT Rajiv Diptee, said the association has not yet processed how it will be affected, but is following directions from the Ministry.

Diptee confirmed that TT did not import a large amount of meat from Guyana. “That is not a normal thing (for us to import meat from Guyana). It would be in the smaller quantities.”