Guyana imposes temporary ban on U.S. beef products
By Mark Ramotar
Guyana Chronicle
January 3, 2004
GUYANA has joined more than 30 countries [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ] in imposing a temporary ban on the importation of all beef and beef products from the United States due to the rising threat associated with Mad Cow Disease, which has been detected in the U.S.
The ban takes immediate effect.
Senior Officials of the Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, told reporters yesterday that the ban is more out of precaution than anything else and could be lifted very soon.
"I wish to assure the Guyanese public that there is no reason or cause for alarm (and) the actions we have taken are more out of precaution than anything else," Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock and Agriculture, Mr. Satyadeow Sawh said.
"We want to ensure that our population remains healthy and that we do not subject them to any undue risk that may emanate from products coming in from countries that have problems," Sawh said
He said, too, that he was particularly heartened at the response he got yesterday morning when he and officers from his Ministry met with the major importers of beef and beef products.
"We met (yesterday morning) with a number of importers of beef and beef products from several countries including the United States of America and we asked to see these people to discuss with them some of the major concerns we have as a government and as a Ministry and what are some of the things we intend to do in relation to the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, as it is commonly called, in the United States of America," Sawh told reporters.
"They have all pledged their full support to ensure that they do not import into this country products that may be contaminated from the United States," the Minister assured."
He noted that his Ministry has already received a letter from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat recommending some actions that need to be taken by CARICOM member states with regards to this disease.