THE Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, through its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is aiming to implement the national biosafety framework as it is requesting experts for a national biosafety roster.Guyana became a party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on August 29, 1994. The Convention outlines the duties of the parties to ensure that the necessary measures are taken to address Biosafety issues as a result of the use and applications of modern biotechnology.

The EPA underscored that the national roster of experts shall provide advice and technical support, as appropriate upon request in Guyana and the region. The experts will be expected to conduct risk assessment, make informed decisions, build capacities and promote institutional strengthening, associated with transboundary movement of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
The roster of experts will consist of individuals with requested expertise in four areas: (1) Scientific and Technical Expertise; (2) Legal Expertise, (3) Policy and Regulatory Expertise and fourthly biosafety systems development and implementation expertise.
According to the National Biosafety Framework for Guyana, Biosecurity or biological security is the exclusion, eradication or effective management of risks posed by pests and diseases to the economy, environment and human health.
It covers all activities aimed at managing the introduction of new species and managing their impacts once introduced. Indeed, given the extant and emerging global threats, the definition of biosecurity has been expanded to include a more strategic and integrated approach that encompasses the policy and regulatory frameworks (including instruments and activities) that analyse and manage risks in the sectors of food safety, animal and plant life and health including associated environmental risk.
The framework noted that Biosecurity covers the introduction (intentional and unintentional) of plant pests, animal pests and diseases, zoo noses, the introduction and release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their products and the introduction and management of invasive alien species and genotypes, as well as biological weapons and other agents used in biocrimes within the scope of agricultural bio-warfare and bio-terrorism in general. In this context, human diseases and the entire spectrum of bio-terrorism, related bio-arsenal and global pandemics are included.
The Guyana policy on bio-technology, bio-safety and bio-security aims to strengthen Guyana’s capability to take advantage of the opportunities offered by biotechnology, for the benefit of the individual, industry and the environment. The biotechnology policy aims to promote the accumulation and use of knowledge in the sector, to facilitate the conversion of the results of research projects to practical applications, under ethically acceptable conditions. The policy encourages public-private sector partnerships and foreign direct investment. Guyana is an attractive country to do business in because of its rich biodiversity and indigenous resources.

By Rabindra Rooplall