Dear Editor,
More than once I’ve written about local produce, mainly vegetables and fruits, being laced with toxic chemicals and before the timeframe for these chemicals to finish their processes expires, they are available on the markets. As a result, they are purchased and, unfortunately for some people, they suffer from that deliberate act.
Some get serious bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting or serious bouts of headache. Other people also pen their concerns about this dastardly act, but, to date, no action has been taken to curb this careless behaviour. I’m wondering if the current Minster of Agriculture is capable enough to enact some sort of regulation to monitor the farmers and their method of applying the chemicals to their produce, and allow the timeframe for the chemicals to properly get out of the produce.
Editor, periodically we would hear about the successful raids being carried out by joint agencies to address the various expired food items that are being imported by unscrupulous business men/importers, whose only intention is to accumulate huge interest because, once the expiry date is close, the distributors/manufacturers would sell it cheaper to cut their losses. Now the local markets are being flooded with expired edibles, mainly confectionaries. Apart from that, there are many bottled and canned products that have expired and easily obtainable countrywide with schools being targeted because the children are not aware of the dangers of using expired products or do not check the expiry date. In addition, there are products being sold that do not have any dates of manufacture or expiration on them. Further, there are also products without any writing in English to tell you what you are eating/drinking or what were the ingredients used. Over the weekend, I have personally inspected the popular Solo Bentley drink and no date can be found anywhere on the bottle or cap.
Editor, only recently I was communicating with one of the best reporters in this country and I was telling him of my concern regarding expiry dates being erased and new dates stamped on. He informed me that many big companies locally are involved in that unscrupulous act. Why they are not being exposed is another story. My assumption is that many are scared for their lives or jobs should they choose to expose these crooks. With the promises arising from oil, we are seeing an influx of people showing an interest in Guyana and many are venturing here with their families. Is it possible for those responsible be more vigilant and do their work that they are being paid to do properly so that people could see that we are not an embarrassing country that lives/survive on expired products, or will they wait until the profits from the oil start coming in before acting?
Yours faithfully,
Sahadeo Bates
