Shipment of feathers to be sent back to China

Speaking to the media at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday, Rahael said: "Yesterday (Monday) I spoke with the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, the Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and consignee who imported the feathers, and they were all on the same page. That container is going to be shipped out of TT."

The feathers were ordered for Carnival by Jimmy Aboud.

Rahael (also the acting Minister of Agriculture) said arrangements were being expedited for the container to leave the country. He said the feathers had been bleached and dyed and the ministry did not anticipate any problems but "extra precautionary measures" were being taken by the authorities.

Rahael said they were working together to ensure that birds and bird products from countries affected by bird flu did not enter the country. He has advised the Agriculture Ministry in his capacity as acting minister to publish a list of the countries.

"We have also advised all of the importers of any product related to the poultry industry from all countries in Asia and other countries in the world not to import anything until this matter is dealt with."

Rahael said importers of feathers even from the US had to be extremely cautious since the feathers may have originally come from one of the countries with the bird flu. He said the authorities were being extremely vigilant with poultry products and were not taking any risks.

"We are not going to be concerned with whether bandleaders get feathers or not, or importers are allowed to import any product they think they need to merchandise and put the population of TT in jeopardy or at risk. No way."

Rahael said one shipment of drugs ordered by the ministry to treat influenza in people had arrived and should be cleared (by Customs) soon. "We hope to God we never have to use it."

Kits to test for avian influenza in sick birds have been ordered by the Agriculture Ministry.

It put out an import advisory in newspapers yesterday announcing that several items including "a container of dyed feathers" had been barred from entry into TT "as part of extra-precautionary measures adopted in light of the threat of Avian Influenza (bird flu)."

The statement said the import of poultry, poultry products, other live birds from countries with known or suspected cases of bird flu and the trans-shipment of all live birds through TT has been restricted. The ministry said it "maintains a schedule of countries from which the importation of certain items is restricted."

It advised importers to contact the Animal Production and Health Division of the ministry to find out what products from these countries were restricted.