Narine: Bird flu coming

Bird Flu or Avian Influenza is expected to reach Trinidad and Tobago within 18 months, if not before, Narine told a post-Cabinet media conference on Thursday at Whitehall.

“We are making funding available to farmers to house the birds.”

He was worried that live chickens could also catch Bird Flu from the wild birds trafficked from Venezuela.

Narine spelt out the risk and made the link, noting: “In Trinidad and Tobago we have a unique situation where we transport live birds to the pluck shops.”

While the ministry is trying to educate people about the spread of bird flu, he said, “We may have to kill the birds before they reach the pluck shops.” He hailed the example of Hong Kong which had caged all of its chickens and prevented the spread of the disease. He said the Agriculture Ministry is now preparing, not for “if,” but for “when” the bird flu comes to Trinidad and Tobago.

Narine recalled that the virus can be combatted by thoroughly cooking the chicken.

The Agriculture Ministry is preparing to combat Bird Flu by measures including studying the journey of migratory birds, increasing public awareness, boosting laboratory diagnosis, and linking Governments of the region.

He said the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) had given US$500,000 towards a project running from April 2006 to September 2007 called the Emergency Assistance for Early Detection and Prevention of Avian Influenza in the Caribbean.