More urgency on food safety

It is unacceptable that almost a month after being sanctioned by the Minister of Planning and Development, an international lab has not yet been chosen to test samples of dead fish that appeared along the Gulf of Paria in July.

According to a spokesman from the Ministry of Planning, that ministry is “still working with the Pan American Health Organisation to select a reputable lab.” The State is at risk of appearing cavalier on a matter of food safety.

A few weeks ago, dead fish appeared along the coast of the Gulf of Paria, and fisherfolk have since suffered a reduction in sales so harsh that their livelihoods were jeopardised at a critical time of the year for parents. Numerous investigations into the cause of the fish kill were conducted, but their apparent conflict did not inspire the public to return to fishing depots to buy fish.

While we welcome the distribution of $1 million in cheques to assist fishermen affected by poor sales, the matter does not end there. The State cannot just apply a plaster without getting to the bottom of the problem.

We must address the root cause(s) of a series of recent oil spills as well as the deeper question of the safety of consuming fish.

Recently, Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre told Parliament she had taken it upon herself to probe yet another oil spill which affected Carat Beach, Coffee Beach and Pointe Sable Beach in La Brea. The findings of her inquiries, as well as of the relevant State agencies, must be released.

Disturbingly, Olivierre has also been quoted in newspaper reports as saying a report done by a specially- appointed task force on February 14 is missing, it not being sent to the Ministry of Energy. A former Minister of Energy has also spoken of not having seen said report.

We hope the State complies with the call made by Alvin La Borde, president of the La Brea Fisherfolk Association, for the Government to produce the report of the National Environmental Assessment Task Force.

If this sloppy approach continues, one day we are going to pay an even heavier price. Not only are livelihoods at stake, but also health and safety. We need to learn lessons from other countries that have had the misfortune of suffering from major environmental lapses.

Some time ago, lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, occurred when the city of nearly 100,000 switched from the metropolitan Detroit utility system to a temporary water source, the Flint River.

State environmental regulators mistakenly said not to add a chemical to prevent lead from leaching out of old pipes, and emergency managers came under scrutiny for blocking a switch-back for financial reasons.

The situation led to the allocation of US$234 million toward the public health emergency that ensued, which exposed children to lead and has been linked to a deadly outbreak of legionnaires’ disease.

A bicameral legislative committee investigated the matter and a report is due. There are also legislative proposals to create an ombudsman to hear the concerns of residents living in communities under emergency management; to change drinking water standards; and to tackle emergency budgetary matters that left the State vulnerable.

While the experience in Flint is not perfect, it contrasts sharply with the situation here in relation to claims of toxic fish. The matter is dragging on with no end in sight. When the Planning Ministry announced its recourse to international labs, this was a welcomed intervention. Sadly, bureaucratic considerations seem to be frustrating execution.

It matters not how often Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat assures that local fish is safe to eat.

Without a more urgent approach, consumers simply won’t bite.