NIHERST: Science and Technology

Under the aegis of CamBio Tec-Chile, a project on ‘Biosafety Regulations in Latin America and the Caribbean within the framework of the International Biosafety Protocol’ was approved for funding by the OAS in 2003. Under this project, Prof. Julian Duncan, with assistance from Ms Petall John of the Attorney General's Office, completed an evaluation of the legal framework and capacity-building needs of Trinidad and Tobago with respect to the fulfilment of the requirements of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB).

To determine the extent to which the existing laws met with the requirements of the CPB, discussions were held with personnel from:

A survey questionnaire was sent to researchers at The University of the West Indies and Research Laboratories in both the private and public sectors in order to determine the status of genetic engineering in this country and the available capacity for testing, risk evaluation and risk management of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and living modified organisms (LMOs). To determine the extent to which GMOs and LMOs are imported into the country, the questionnaire was also sent to selected Commercial concerns involved in agriculture and food.

The results of Prof. Duncan's study were presented at the UNU/BIOLAC - Latin American Workshop on "Agricultural Biosafety for the Sustainable Development of Biotechnology". This workshop was held in Caracas, Venezuela, on 20th –21st of November 2003. The purpose of the workshop was to reflect on the models of regulatory systems in agro-biotechnology in member countries of the Andean Pact, Central America and the Caribbean. The legal and institutional infrastructure to fulfil the Protocol of Cartagena was analysed.

Participating countries included:
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Panama, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad Tobago.

Special presenters included:
Mr. Giovanni Ferraiolo, Dr Recio Ripandelli of the ICGEB and Dr Julian Kinderlerer