Construction to begin on $130.7M Food & Drug Department

Catered for in the 2017 National Budget, the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department’s (GA-FDD) complex is being built to the tune of $130.7M at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus.

Addressing a simple ceremony hosted for the turning of the sod for the construction of the building, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence said the present facility occupied by the Department fall short of international standards.

“With this new complex, our dependence on external laboratories to conduct analysis on Guyana’s behalf which have restricted our access to some international markets will lessen and we will be in a better position, to monitor, regulate, and meet the international standards required to penetrate these markets,” the Minister said.

Included in the programme is the construction of a laboratory and administrative building for the Food and Drug Department for $110M. A further $20.7M will be used to procure laboratory supplies, quality control aids and proficiency testing materials.

Equipment and Laboratory supplies that will be procured include the purchasing of fume hood and a steam digester both for the excise laboratory at a cost of $11.2M, two incubators and a hot-air oven for the Microbiology laboratory at a cost of $2M and five analytical balances for all the laboratories at a cost of $7.5M.

It is expected that the department will now be able to not only offer training to students at the University but also to students from across the region. This was highlighted by Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, who outlined that the Natural Sciences faculty of the University will be significantly improved.

The GA-FDD serves as a regulatory body, ensuring that consumable goods meet international standards and requirements, and are healthy for human consumption.