–Moves to enforce labelling laws

IMPORTERS of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices can see their goods being refused

entry into Guyana if they are not properly labelled.

On Tuesday, the Government Analyst – Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) issued a stern warning to importers, stating that the exact name and complete address of manufacturer and the country of origin must be stated in English on all labels.
Director of the Food and Drug Department, Marlon Cole has said that the requirements are in keeping with the Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:04, and the Food and Drug Regulations Part (II) Regulation 18.

“The Department has been consistently encountering imported items where the name and address of the manufacturer are not stated, and in some cases the country of origin is unknown,” Cole said Tuesday in a statement.
“There are also some cases where only a website and or a third party retailer is stated on labels,” he added.

He further said that the Department would be enforcing the legislation, and will be refusing entry to items which are inadequately labelled.
As such, consumers are being advised to purchase items of food, drugs and cosmetics and medical devices that are adequately labelled according to the Food and Drug Regulation, in that it has:

“A Brand Name, a Common Name, the Net Contents, List of Ingredients where necessary, Storage Instructions, Expiry Date, the Address of Manufacturer and the Country of Origin.” Another stipulation, Cole said, is that all information must be in English.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that importers whose products have not reached the requirements under the law have requested that their products be re-exported.

STERN ACTION
In recent times, the FDD has been taking stern action against importers who have failed to adhere to the Food and Drug Act and the Food and Drug Regulation.
Just last week, a 20-foot container of Awal Junior Milk from the Kingdom of Bahrain was refused entry into Guyana after the product was found to be contaminated with vegetable oil, and had only 1.5 per cent milk fat.

The Food and Drug Regulations for dairy products mandate that ‘flavoured milk’ must contain 2.5 per cent of milk fat.
Last November, the Court had ruled in favour of the FDD in a matter placed before it by local businessman, Rafik Ahmad, who was prevented from importing a container of sweetened condensed milk into Guyana.

Cole had refused entry to Ahmad’s container after it was established that the latter was attempting to import Moi sweetened condensed milk, a product made from vegetable fat-based milk, and not a dairy product as is required by Part IV, Division 5 (Dairy Products) (13) of the Food and Drug Regulations of 1977.

Acting Chief Justice, Yonette Cummings-Edwards had ruled that the decision by the Food and Drug Department was lawful, and done in accordance with the Food and Drugs Act, Chapter 34:04 and the Food and Drugs Regulations 1977, in conjunction with Section 43 Schedule 11 of the Customs Act, Chapter 82:04.
Currently, the Department is investigating several importers who may be in breach of the law.