Protecting local consumers from the threats posed by the infiltration of imported foods and drugs which could do great harm to the nation as a whole remains one of the highest priorities of the Government Analyst Food & Drugs Department (GAFDD), and at a time when there are strong elements of criminality in the manufacture and trade in foods and drugs the Department is deserving of the full support of government, the business community and the country as a whole, GAFDD Director Marlan Cole has told the Stabroek Business.
“Our work isn’t always smooth sailing. There is never a shortage of people needing a favour. I’d be lying if I tell you that there is not sometimes pressure applied for favours. People try to drop names sometimes.”
Embattled by a shortage of trained staff and a scarcity of equipment Cole told Stabroek Business that one of the real challenges reposes in having to “cover a great deal of ground without the people to do it with.” Over time, the monitoring of foods and drugs entering the country had become compromised by difficulties associated with securing the cooperation he needed from the Customs Department. That relationship is better now, but conditions are still not what they ought to be.