–new laws coming for transportation of toxic chemicals on roadways, Minister Mustapha says

THE Ministry of Agriculture’s Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) will, in the new year, commence testing for and monitoring of lead in paints with new equipment valued at $43.8 million, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has said.

During his remarks at the commissioning ceremony for a new PTCCB administrative building, Mustapha disclosed too that laws for transporting toxic chemicals on the roadways will also be implemented next year.

The building was constructed and outfitted at a cost of $115 million and forms part of the government’s efforts to deliver sound pesticides and toxic chemicals management services to its stakeholders.

Minister Mustapha said sound chemicals management remains of paramount and the commissioning of the facility demonstrates the government’s commitment and support for the work of the agency and chemicals management in Guyana.

“This building is being commissioned against the backdrop that we are now modernising this system. The role of the board is to ensure proper management of pesticides and other chemicals. Today, Guyana is seen as a leader in agriculture and this includes areas such as pesticides and toxic chemicals management.

“As a government, we also encourage farmers and stakeholders to minimise the use of chemicals. The Pesticides Board is a multi-sectoral body that manages the use of chemicals in a number of sectors. It doesn’t only monitor and manage chemicals needed for the agriculture sector. Over the years, the Board has increased its responsibility to include the management of chemicals used in the mining, manufacturing, industrial, oil and gas sectors and many more,” Minister Mustapha said.

He also related that the PTCCB is constantly working to phase out the use of prohibited substances.

Regarding trade and export, some countries are placing restrictions on certain commodities that have traces of some chemicals and in an effort to maintain export markets, the government has been working to ensure safer substitutes are used.

Registrar of the PTCCB, Trecia David said sound management of chemicals is a key component of the sustainable development goals and therefore, a key enabler for achieving sustainable development. She also said that in Guyana, a lot has been achieved in this area due to strong political will and government support.

“The sound management of chemicals is also a key component of the Sustainable Development Goals, as it is referred to in five of the 12 goals and therefore a key enabler for achieving sustainable development. Chemicals management is also a key component of food security and food safety. If you were to check in developing countries where chemicals management has been achieved soundly, you will find one of the most important facets is political will. Here in Guyana, we’ve been thankful. What you see before you today as the Pesticides Board, when it first began, was five per cent of what you see now. It has been the strong political will that has given much support to what chemicals management has become,” David said.

Minister Mustapha also said over the past four years, several services have been introduced and are now offered by the PTCCB to assist with developing other agricultural sub-sectors.

When the government took office in 2020, several farmers raised concerns about the quality of the fertilisers available on the local market. As a result, the PTCCB began testing fertilisers for quality assurance.

With effect from 2021, all fertilisers imported for the agriculture sector are being tested here to ensure they meet the required standard quality for our farmers.

This service is of international standard. The PTCCB also offers water testing which aids with the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector is also offered by the PTCCB. (Ministry of Agriculture)