TTMA backs Govt on bird flu prevention

In expressing the TTMA’s support for action taken by the authorities regarding a shipment of feathers imported by Jimmy Aboud from China, TTMA president Paul Quesnel said local manufacturers stood solidly behind all efforts undertaken by the relevant authorities to keep bird flu out of this country. He said if an item comes into TT which has the potential to harm citizens, the TTMA supports action that is taken to deal with such a situation.

"We don’t want things coming in here that are not good for the people of TT," Quesnel said. Asked the extent to which members of the TTMA conduct trade with China, Quesnel said the trade was quite extensive and included a wide variety of commodities. However, he reiterated that just as local manufacturers have to adhere to phytosanitary regulations to facilitate the entry of their goods into foreign ports, similar adherences had to be maintained in TT.

Rahael said the shipment of bird feathers would be sent back to China, the Agriculture Ministry had banned the importation of birds and bird products from countries where bird flu was present and the Health Ministry had acquired medicine to treat persons affected by bird flu. At yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Rahael said Government would ban the importation of poultry products into TT in light of the current global threat posed by bird flu.