No turkey for Christmas

Speaking at yesterday’s post-Cabinet meeting, Health Minister John Rahael said that in light of the avian influenza bird flu issue, the Ministry of Agriculture had sent out an advisory to poultry importers that a ban had been placed on the importation of all poultry and their by-products. He said this was part of the extra precautionary measures taken by the ministry to ensure that the disease did not enter this country.

Before placing their orders, Rahael said, importers were advised to contact the Ministry of Agriculture Land and Marine Resource at 625-1473 or 625-5997 to seek guidance concerning what items would be classified as poultry by-products, since they could include some types of furniture which are not readily identified as bird flu carriers. According to Rahael, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, the Customs, and the Port and Airport Authorities had been placed on full alert.

Since hatching eggs and day-old hatchlings had always been screened for diseases, including bird flu, before being allowed into the country, the local rearing of poultry was safe as long as our poultry farmers followed the expected hygienic regimens, the minister assured.

Rahael said a ban had also been placed on the importation of other live birds from countries with known or suspected cases of bird flu, and that trans-shipment of all live birds through Trinidad and Tobago had been restricted.

While these extra cautionary measures may seem extreme, the minister said the disease, which had previously been passed from bird to bird, was now being transmitted among humans, and had been the cause of many deaths throughout the world. "The point is, we definitely cannot take a chance on this because if infected, it is likely that you will die," Rahael said.

With the restrictions, however, Rahael said he did not expect a chicken shortage. The minister is hoping that the issue would be resolved soon.

Regarding the issue of the container of feathers at the Port-of-Spain port waiting to be fumigated and re-shipped to China, Rahael said a responsible Government would be expected to follow the advise of the Chief Veterinarian Officer, Dr Joseph Ryan, who had advised that the feathers not be allowed into the country. Even if the feathers had been imported from a country that had not been infected with the virus, he said, the fact remained that we were not sure if the feathers had not originated from a country which had been infected by the disease. He added that while countries like the United States of America had strict measures regarding the importation of birds and feathers, some of these may have entered the country illegally.

Under normal circumstances, the feathers would have been allowed into the country, the minister said, adding that he felt Government was doing the right thing. "We would be very irresponsible to allow something to come into this country that may put our country at risk."