WHEN the most recent devastating tsunami hit Japan, causing national havoc, and even serious chaos at Nuclear Power plants there, I had predicted that nations importing used Japanese motor vehicles and parts will be sold those with radioactivity.

I spoke to prominent citizens and Government officials of such a possibility, and most disagreed, saying the companies will not wish to tarnish their names, nor their country.
But if vehicles are discarded by principled corporations, and then picked up by desperate business people wishing to make a quick dollar at any cost — who are in the habit of buying vehicles for next to nothing, and selling them as parts or otherwise to countries like ours, which are hungry for parts and cheap vehicles — then there is no stopping them from doing the same thing with those tainted post-tsunami vehicles.
Mr. Royston King, Executive Director of the environmental body, Environmental Community Health Organisation (ECHO), is seriously urging our Government to pay attention to this matter, as we could have a serious health crisis on our hands here in Guyana if this is really the case.
If radioactive vehicles are exported from Japan, even by private individuals and companies, the Government of Japan has to be held responsible. They should establish regulations and systems to ensure poisoned vehicles and parts are not dispatched to ours and other countries.
Persons and businesses importing vehicles and parts from Japan should make it a must to get legal disclaimers from the Company, verifying that, nay, certifying that their vehicles and spare parts are not contaminated with radioactive waste.
I will now demand this. While our Government is not responsible for this, I would urge them, in the interest of our peoples and country, to conduct some random tests of vehicles which came into Guyana after the tsumani in Japan, and even set up a system to educate our people as to how to identify radioactive contamination on persons, and how to deal with it; where to go to and have further tests.
Yes, this has a cost, but our people have a right to protection, and our Government has to give serious consideration to this. The Government of Guyana has to get in contact with their Japanese counterparts for assurances that vehicles exported from Japan have not been contaminated, and should our country and people be affected, that Government has to take the responsibility to correct and compensate.
My compliments to Royston King and ECHO for highlighting this situation in the interest of the nation and the wellbeing of Guyanese. Royston is a great son of the Guyanese soil, a patriot and a wise person. I do not see politics in people; only talent and wisdom, or the lack thereof.

Roshan Khan