The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) is intensifying its public awareness and surveillance exercises at meat centres and supermarkets countrywide, in a bid to clamp down on the smuggling of meat and livestock into the country.
These measures come days after the authority confiscated over 400 pounds of undocumented, expired duck meat from a city business. The name of that business has not been revealed by the agency.
The GLDA is now urging importers to adhere to the established guidelines for importing meat and live animals to safeguard the country from diseases.
GLDA Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dwight Walrond made this appeal on Monday after a quantity of undocumented and expired duck meat was seized from a local business.
He was at the time speaking with the Department of Public Information.
The DCEO recalled that in 2019, Guyana discovered the presence of duck hepatitis. The disease was suspected locally but was confirmed by Cornell University, USA. That outbreak was first discovered in Region Six and subsequently spread to most of the islands in the Essequibo River and along the Coast.
“The challenge that we still face as a country is that we have vast borders. Because of that, for us to police the entire system, it is difficult. So, I just want to implore to all stakeholders, let us do the right thing when it comes to importation of biologicals,” Dr. Walrond was quoted as saying.
The Deputy CEO said Guyana is currently in a “good state” concerning the duck industry. There is no widespread mortality to date, and more tests are being done to avoid a recurrence of the disease.
