Guyana

Codex Contact Point

Ms. Samathra Scott, Codex Contact Point Guyana National Bureau of Standards Flat 15, Sophia Exhibition Complex Sophia Georgetown

Telephone:
+592-219-0062-64
+592-219-0063

Fax:
+592-219-0070

Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Website:
http://www.gnbsgy.org

Competent authorities

Name of authority:
1. National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO)
2. Government Analyst - Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD)
Mandate/competence:
Websites: https://www.ippc.int, http://www.agriculture.gov.gy,
http://www.narei.org.gy/
NPPO Mission: To protect Guyana’s agriculture from the introduction and establishment of exotic plant pests, while ensuring that exported agricultural commodities conform to the Phytosanitary requirements of importing countries; enforce the “Plant Protection Act” and ensure Guyana’s compliance with the International Phytosanitary Requirements for trade.

General Objectives:
1. To implement the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).
2. Enforcement of the present Plant Protection Act 2011, in the Laws of Guyana.
3. Comply with the Phytosanitary Requirements of our trading partners.

Specific Objectives
1. To protect Guyana from avoidable introduction of exotic plant pests by inspecting commodities imported.
2. To ensure that agriculture commodities exported conform to the importing country‘s Phytosanitary Requirements, by inspecting them prior export and executing quarantine treatments if required.
3. To conducting surveys and surveillance for exotic and established pests respectively.
4. To conduct farm certification and verification prior export when this is required.
5. To enhance the technical capability of the staff through training locally and internationally.

The NPPO has the capability to establish and apply scientifically-backed sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Critical competencies:

1. Surveillance
2. Diagnostic capability
3. Risk analysis
4. Emergency response capability
5. Quarantine
6. Emerging issues
7. Technical innovation and access to information
Government Analyst Food and Drug Department
GA-FDD's mandate
To administer and enforce the Food and Drugs Act 1971 and its supporting Regulations of 1977, to ensure that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and water are distributed, marketed, produced, imported or exported meet the highest standard of quality and safety.
The Department carries out the following activities:
Analytical
Inspection
Enforcement and Legislation
Website: gafdd.gy

Name of authority:
2. Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA)
Mandate/competence:
Mandate:
To promote greater efficiency in the livestock product industry and to provide enhanced services in livestock husbandry, livestock health and research so as to make provision for effective administration and regulation of trade, commerce and export of livestock or livestock products and for matters related and incidental.
The Scope of the Veterinary Services laboratory is as follows;

- Internal parasite analysis (methods:- flotation, sedimentation & blood smears)
- ELISA platform (various diseases)
-AGID (agar gel immuno diffusion) technique (equine infectious anemia & avian influenza)
- Microbiology (salmonella identification and AMR)
- Presently working on ISO 17025 gap analysis and implementation.

Name of authority:
3. Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD)
Mandate/competence:
The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department is charged with the responsibility to administer and enforce the Food and Drug Act 1971 and its supporting Regulations of 1977, to ensure that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and water are distributed, marketed, produced, imported or exported meet the highest standard of quality and safety.

Laboratory Competences/Capabilities:

Drug Chemistry Lab
1. Identification - Melting Point, Colour reaction, Uv-Vis, HPLC, IR, Thin Layer Chromatography

2. Uniformity of Mass
3.Uniformity of Dosage unit - Content Uniformity- Uv-Vis, Content Uniformity- HPLC, Content Uniformity- Titration, Weight Variation
4.Dissolution - Uv-Vis, HPLC
5. Disintegration
6. Assay - UV-Vis, HPLC, Titration, Thin Layer Chromatography
7. Visual Inspection
8. Friability
9. Hardness
10. Acidity/Alkalinity
11. Bleach – Assay, Available Chlorine, Alkalinity

Food Chemistry Laboratory
1. % Ash, % Moisture, Iron, Total Carbon Dioxide, % Moisture, % Total Solids, % Milk Solids, % Fat, % Acidity, % Brix, % Free Fatty Acids, % Alcohol, Insolubility Index, Aflotoxin, Ochrotoxin, Acid Value

Water Chemistry Laboratory
1. pH, Conductivity, Iron, Hardness as calcium carbonate, Total Dissolved, Total Suspended Solids

Excise Chemistry Laboratory
1. % Alcohol, %Obscuration (real & apparent strength), % Total Acidity, % Brix, pH, Turbity, Dry Extract, Colour

Food Microbiology Laboratory
1. Food - 3 M Petrifilm – TC/EC, APC, Coliform, S. Aureus; Conventional Method – Yeast & Mould

2. Water - Yeast & Mould; Total Coliform/ E. coli, Heterotrophic Plate Count



INFOSAN Emergency Contact Point

Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD)
Mr. Marlan Cole, Director, GA-FDD
Ms. Tandeka Barton, GA-FDD (alternate)

Food safety and consumer protection – laws and regulations

The current list of legislation, related to food safety and consumer protection in each country, is extracted from FAO's database on Food Legislation FAOLEX. While FAOLEX makes every effort to serve as a high quality, reliable source of information, no guarantee is given that the information provided in FAOLEX is correct, complete, and up-to-date.

The national Codex programme

National Codex consultative mechanism

Through the Codex Contact Point-Guyana, that is, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, an active National Codex Committee (NCC) is facilitated. This Committee meets regularly to discuss Codex matters/activities of priority to Guyana.
The NCC comprises of representatives from the following:
Ministry of Public Health- (Departments: Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department, Veterinary Public Health Unit)
Ministry of Agriculture- (Departments: National Plant Protection Organisation, Pesticides and Toxic Chemical Control Board, National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, Guyana Livestock Development Authority, New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Guyana School of Agriculture)
Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation
Guyana Consumers Association
University of Guyana
Guyana Manufacturers and services Association
Environmental Protection Agency
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Institute of Applied Science and Technology
Guyana National Bureau of Standards

Since the National Codex Committee comprises of competent representatives from a wide array of Government agencies (inclusive of regulatory bodies), non-governmental agencies, academia, consumer affairs, and private sector the Codex Work programme is prepared, reviewed and agreed upon by the NCC.

Providers of scientific and technical input to national consultation on Codex

Presently our National Codex Committee are the key stakeholders providing core scientific and technical input on Codex work in Guyana. Since the Committee's resuscitation in 2014, Guyana has participated in 37th, 38th and 39th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, 22nd Session and Colloquium Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods, 47th Session of Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, Codex Colloquium and 19th Session of Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, 34th Session of Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products, Codex Colloquium on Codex Committee on Pesticide Residue (2016), 47th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene.

Risk Assessments and Scientific Data

National bodies providing risk assessment and scientific advice

National Plant Protection Organisation (Qualitative risk assessment)
Pesticides and Toxic Chemical Control Board (scientific advice)
Institute of Applied Science and Technology (scientific advice)
Government Analyst- Food and Drug Department (scientific advice)
Guyana Livestock Development Authority (scientific advice)

Risk assessment, risk profiles, scientific opinions

The National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) has the capability and authority to make decisions on regulated articles and adopt measures based on internationally accepted and harmonized procedures.
Levels of advancement:
• The NPPO has a minimum of necessary information to scientifically assess risk. Plant protection measures are supported by scientific evidence.
• The NPPO in some cases has its own information and also access to other information sources for scientific risk assessment of pests.
• The NPPO systematically searches for and maintains relevant data and information for scientific risk assessment of some pests and has personnel assigned to that task. Most of its phytosanitary measures are based on scientific evidence. Scientific principles and evidence are the basis on which decision-makers consider risk management options.
• The NPPO has its own systematic information system and other information sources that enable it to conduct scientific risk assessment for most regulated pests, based on internationally harmonized standards and procedures.
• Same as the preceding level, but in addition the NPPO is consistent in its risk management efforts and in communicating the risk in conformity with IPPC standards and other regulations established by the WTO with respect to notification.

Official Laboratories

Official Laboratory:
Guyana Livestock Development Authority

Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals Control Board

Official Competence:

Official Laboratory:
Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department
Official Competence:
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY
PRODUCT/MATERIAL TESTS METHOD EQUIPMENT
















Aerobic Plate Count






AOAC 966.23
CMMEF Chaps 6&7 BAM
Chap.3 Autoclave (sterilize)
Balance
pH meter
Incubator
Autoclave ((Decontamination)
Colony Counter
Water Bath
Steward Stomacher
Oven
Hot Plate







Water (Potable)






Heterotrophic Plate Count




Standard Methods for the Examination of Water & Wastewater, 2005 Autoclave (sterilize)
Balance
pH meter
Incubator
Autoclave ((Decontamination)
Colony Counter
Water Bath
Oven
Hot Plate








EXCISE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
PRODUCT/MATERIAL TESTS METHOD EQUIPMENT

Alcoholic Beverages
% Alcohol v/v
Density Meter - AOAC982.10 pH meter
Density meter








WATER CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
PRODUCT/MATERIAL TESTS METHOD EQUIPMENT

Water (Potable & Purified)
Total Hardness Calmagite Colorimetric Method
DR 2800

Water (Purified) Total Dissolved Solid
Sension7 Meter Method
TDS. Conductivity meter

Water (Tap)
pH Symphony TM Handheld pH meter method
pH meter

Official Laboratory:
Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Control Board
Official Competence:
residues in fruits and vegetables and analytical analysis of formulated products.

Official Laboratory:
National Plant Protection Organisation
Official Competence:
bio-control, rearing and monitoring of quarantine pest

Official Laboratory:
Guyana Livestock Development Agency
Official Competence:
analysis for salmonella, antimicrobial resistance

Official Laboratory:
Institute of Applied Science and Technology
Official Competence:
chemical analysis

Official Laboratory:
Private food laboratory (laboratories maintained in private owned companies)
Official Competence:
testing products for clearance for trade

Surveillance of foodborne diseases and monitoring of food contamination

National surveillance systems – foodborne disease in humans

Data on food borne diseases are collected at ALL of Guyana's Health Facilities (hospitals, health centers, dispensaries) , then that information is sent to the Ministry of Public Health to be analysed. This surveillance is done on a daily basis.

National monitoring systems – foodborne hazards in the food chain

Same system is in place as outline in Question 9.