Georgetown : The crops sector will be significantly boosted with the introduction of the Plant Protection Bill (No. 6) of 2011, which was passed last in the National Assembly. The Bill which was moved by Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud will replace the RK Plant Protection Act of 1943, as it seeks to bring systems and legislations on par with today’s environment.
The new sections of the Bill will also pave the way for customs officers to assist quarantine inspections to conduct various inspections as the different ports of entry.
Efforts have in the past been reliant on customs officers and as such, Minister Persaud said that it is necessary for Government to learn from past experiences with respect to capacity building, not only within the plant protection unit but, within other agencies as well.
“We all recognize the limitations that our current plant health systems would have in the future and it is always neat and complete whereby we can use the other agencies of the state and those who are much more prominent and present at the ports of entry to assist us in carrying out these tasks and responsibilities,” he said.
The Bill also poses new features which will significantly empower the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), to administer all aspects of the Bill. A Plant Protection Unit will also be administered as efforts are apace to expand and increase NAREI’s capacity.
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