Guyana, Haiti sign food security MOU
Written by Kwesi Isles, Thursday, 21 March 2013 15:58, Source
Guyana and Haiti have signed a food security Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the inaugural visit of President Michel Martelly to these shores.
Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and her Haitian counterpart Pierre-Richard Casimir signed the Food Security and Traceability Agreement on behalf of their governments at the Office of the President Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after the brief event Martelly said they were looking to develop a relationship with Guyana from which the people of both countries could benefit.
“Whether it’s in agriculture, whether it’s in providing enterprises from Guyana to come to Haiti and participate in the reconstruction because in every sector we have things to do, building ports, airports, roads, the agriculture sector, tourism sector, we can do things together,” the Haitian leader said.
According to him, the Haiti’s imaging in the world was changing and it was open for business.
Agriculture minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy noted that Guyana was drafting food safety legislation and would be working with Haiti on the issue.
“Our Bureau of Standards for example has set norms and standards and that’s just been done in Haiti; they don’t yet have the legislation to go along with what we have so the two countries will work together to develop our systems. Guyana is interested in their traceability for coffee which could then be used for all of our products,” the minister said.
The MOU will allow Guyana to use the Haitian Traceability System in the local agricultural sector to trace produce to its origin and to guarantee the quality and standard of agricultural produce for export.
It will also allow for the generation of barcodes, the definition of standards processing and packaging of agricultural products as well as assist in the reliable national mapping on the production potential and the results of the harvest.
New regulations setting out the traceability requirements are set to come on stream next year in the US and Guyana is looking to ensure its exports are not restricted.
Dr. Ramsammy also revealed that he would be working with his Haitian counterpart over the next few weeks to develop an agreement on rice which would settle on exports to the French-speaking island and technical cooperation from Guyana.
Prior to the signing President Martelly and his delegation met President Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet in a close-door session.
