The potential benefits of modern biotechnology for improving our quality and standard of living are clear. There are applications that can help solve many of our social and economic problems:

• Reducing environmental pollution

• Producing trees that grow more rapidly, and crops that yield greater and healthier stock

• Controlling insects and pests

• Controlling viruses

• Generating cures for illnesses

Several regional institutions are engaged in utilizing biotechnology and are expanding their research and its application to solving regional problems of food and water security, and environmental degradation. Among them are the three campuses of the University of the West Indies, CARDI, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Land & Marine Resources. Some of the research would inevitably lead to the production of genetically modified organisms and their released into the environment. These developments raise concerns of an ethical nature as well as the risk of potential negative impacts on the environment and human health. Such concerns and risks can, however, be addressed and considerably reduced once effective biosafety regulations and monitoring measures are put in place.

Biosafety involves the appropriate regulation and monitoring of the use of modern biotechnology. To this end it is necessary to set up systems to undertake risk assessments, facilitate sound decision-making on applications, and to engage public dialogue at all stages. Problems arising from unethical experimentation with human genes and the introduction of harmful organisms into the environment, can easily be avoided once a robust biosafety framework is in place.

Such regulations already exist in some countries. These regulations aim to:

• Control what genetic modifications can be made to plants that are to be grown in fields.

• Direct how and where they are to be grown.

• Monitor if novel risks may be posed by new applications of the technology.

• Distinguish between experiments in ‘contained’ conditions (i.e. in the laboratory, or enclosed environment), and those where the genetically modified organism is ‘released to the environment’ (i.e. for commercial use in industry or agriculture).

The 2000 Cartagena Protocol of the United Nations, an offspring of the 1995, Convention on Biological Diversity, to which Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory, stipulates the conditions under which living modified organisms are introduced into a country. It establishes a system to ensure the safe handling, transfer and use of such organisms across national boundaries. But there is also the need for close scrutiny of the use and application of modern biotechnology within countries.

Stringent regulations already govern the operations of biotechnologists in countries of the European Union and in North America. The European Union for instance, has mandated establishment of an Advisory Committee that can assess the impact and advise relevant organizations and agencies on research, experiments and releases into the environment; and to make public its approval and assessment reports.

Committees that facilitate participation and solicit views from the general public have also been formed to try to determine what ethical values should apply to the use of biotechnology and genetic modification in the UK. This facilitates an atmosphere of openess, debate and transparency that heightens public awareness and appreciation of genetically modified organisms.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the experts agree that a biosafety policy must reflect the country’s developmental goals, international positioning, trade relationships, regional integration efforts, and obligations to international treaties and conventions as they relate to the use of modern biotechnology. At the same time, such a policy must ensure consumer protection, support the developmental objectives of economic sectors, and reflect public concerns and opinions.

Such a policy would therefore be consistent with national policies on food and agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, the environment, science and technology, trade, regional and international relations. The biosafety policy would therefore guide the establishment of laws that are consistent with the policy.

In Trinidad and Tobago, although there is voluntary compliance by most laboratories, there is no legislation or monitoring mechanisms in place to regulate practices. Safety issues already feature into the laws relating to public health, food handling, animal and plant quarantine, and in guidelines for the operation of medical laboratories. However, these laws need to be updated to take into account new developments in biotechnology as they relate to gene manipulation so as to ensure that we minimise the adverse effects and maximise the potential benefits of modern biotechnology.

CARICOM is currently working with key regional bodies such as CARDI, IICA and the UWI among others to harmonize regulations as well as a policy on biotechnology in the region. With the support of a UN/GEF project, the EMA is supporting work by a Cabinet-appointed committee under the aegis of the Ministry of Legal & Consumer Affairs to develop a national biosafety framework for Trinidad and Tobago. To complement this effort the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education is considering the formulation of a national policy on biotechnology.

Read other Gene Scene Articles

Gene Scene Home Page

Gene-Generated Cures

DNA could do you or damn you

Genes for a Clean Scene

Food for all