Public Consultation on the National Biosafety Policy of Belize

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Biosafety Protocol) was agreed in Montreal in January 2000 and came into force on September 11, 2003 under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This protocol is an international environmental agreement governing the movement between countries of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), also called living modified organisms (LMOs). In essence the Biosafety Protocol is an agreement designed to regulate the international trade, handling and use of any genetically engineered organism that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health.

• THE THIRD MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SERVING AS THE MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY (COP-MOP 3)

Belize signed to the Convention on Biological Diversity on June 13th 1992 and ratified it on December 30th 1993. With regards to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Belize ratified to this Protocol on February 12th 2004 and is a party by accession since May 12th 2004.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is the National Focal Point to the Convention of Biological Diversity. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) is the focal point of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

Biosafety in Belize – National Biosafety Focal Point Perspective

Background

The Country of Belize is bounded in the north of Mexico (Quintana Roo, in the extreme north-west, Campeche provinces) and elsewhere by Guatemala (Peten and, in the extreme south, Izabal provinces) and to the East by the Caribbean Sea. The Country is roughly rectangular, measuring 280 km at the coastline from north to south and 109 km from east to west, extending to 180 km through inclusion of territorial sea. Total Land Area, including the cayes, is 8,860 mi2 (22, 960 km2) in the total national territory including terrestrial sea of c. 18,000 mi (46,620 km2). The country is divided into six districts, 9 municipalities and over 240 villages.

Belize signed to the Convention on Biological Diversity on June 13th 1992 and ratified it on December 30th 1993. The Ministry of Natural Resources is the National Focal Point to the Convention of Biological Diversity. Belize ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety on February 12th 2004 and became a party by accession on May 12th 2004. The Focal Point of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is under the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), the competent authority in Belize for Agricultural Health and Food Safety. BAHA also host the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) Focal Point for Belize.

The first National Biosafety Committee (NBC) was formed in November 2002 under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture took the lead in appointing members to this committee with the objective to review the use of GMOs (LMOs) and to draft appropriate policy and legislation for Biosafety and GMO use and make recommendations for addressing present and future Biosafety issues in Belize. The NBC became a more formal entity when Belize became recipient of the UNEP/GEF project entitled “Development of National Biosafety Framework” which is aimed at assisting countries to develop national biosafety regulatory and administrative regimes, decision-making systems including risk assessment, and mechanisms for public participation. The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of National Development act as the National Executing Agency (NEA) in providing administrative support to the project and the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) has been appointed as the Implementing Agency to provide technical and scientific assistance to the work of the National Biosafety Committee/ National Coordinating Committee. These entities work in close collaboration with relevant government departments, international agencies, private sector participants and non governmental organizations many of which have representation on the NBC and on the BAHA Board of Directors.

Current Status of Biosafety in Belize

The UNEP/GEF Biosafety project with an initial 18 Month life span suffered a number of set backs in Belize that has stalled its completion which was initially set for July of 2005.  The two National Project Coordinators employed to manage the project resigned -the first in October 2004, and the second, hired in January 2005 to replace the first NPC, resigned at the end of January 2006. In addition, the consultancy on the “Assessment of the National Capacity on Biosafety in Belize” met with a number of administrative difficulties with the final report of the consultants not being submitted until November of 2005. The recommendations of this comprehensive report form the basis for the development of the NBF. 

Following the resignation of the NPC in January of 2006, the NBC was fairly dormant until its revival following Belize’s attendance at COP MOP3 in Brazil in March of 2006 and the reorganization of the NBC into sub committees with the mandate to complete or address the outstanding issues and tasks required for the completion of Belize NBF.

Presently, Belize, through the NBC, is at the stage of organizing the specific data and recommendations emanating from the capacity assessment and NBC consultations by developing a specific policy on Biosafety in Belize, and reviewing the administrative and regulatory data to be placed in the NBF. Belize is also preparing for a nation- wide public consultation on Biosafety (presentations on elements of the NBF) which is being organized by the NBC on October 13th-25th 2006. A number of radio and television interviews, press releases and Biosafety promotional materials are being designed for general distribution to the public. It is expected that comments and contributions coming out of the nationwide consultation will be reviewed and used by the NBC to enhance the final NBF document. It is worthwhile to note that the first public forum on GMOs and related Biosafety issues was held in Belize on February 29th 2000. At that forum it was decided that Belize would place a moratorium on the importation and use of GMOs until Belize has established its National Biosafety Committee which would be charged with developing and implementing the relevant protocols and mechanisms for managing the use of GMOs. The committee has endorsed and extended the decision not to consider any importation of LMOs until the NBF is fully operational. It is expected that the NBF will be completed by December 2006.

Biosafety Issues for Belize:

With the quick pace of scientific and technological change in biotechnology over the last two decades, and the many applications in the pharmaceutical and agro-food industries, there is an urgent need in Belize as a Bio-diverse country to develop a national policy with respect to the use and trade of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) for her own security and as part of Belize’s obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The lack of a national policy to address the use of GMO material in Belize will cause demands for the use of such material and possibly the smuggling of such material over Belize’s largely unmanned extensive borders.

There is presently no designated agency that has developed testing capabilities and a programme for monitoring or policing the use or controlling the production of restricted material. It is imperative that the agency designated to develop this capability be given the necessary capacity to perform the regulatory functions for testing and procedures for monitoring for the presence of GMOs.

Biosafety in response to potential threats associated with biotechnology is driven by common concerns in the Caribbean sub-region. There are concerns about potential threats to small, fragile ecosystems represented by the small island developing states, which account for 12 of the 15 sub-region countries. For Belize the concern is mainly to possible threats to a relatively large area of rich biodiversity to which the country is bound to preserve and the concern about indigenous human settlements that are set in an environment sustained by this rich biodiversity.

Belize has a viable market for its organic products. For example, Cacao, produced largely by Maya farmers in the south was one of the first products to be marketed international under the organic and “Fair Trade” label. The Government of Belize is exploring the expansion of such niche markets to other commodities such as honey, papaya and citrus. How Belize maintain and promote these markets in the face of request for importation of  LMOs which is usually linked to some major investment package or Trade Agreement with an LMO producing country will be a major challenge for the  country.  In addition, Belize as members of Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and with the implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the obligation to allow free trade of goods and services and the promotion of harmonized legislation may spill over to trade in products derived from modern biotechnology as CARICOM Ministers have already identified the promotion of Biotechnology as a means for economic advancement for the region. The promotion of biotechnology without a concomitant promotion and strong support for Biosafety is a risk that Belize is not prepared to allow.

Conclusion

The results of the National Capacity Assessment conducted in Belize indicated that there is no expressed interest, nor the need, nor the expertise within Belize to conduct research work on genetic engineering at this time or in the near future. The most probable scenario will be that certain sectors in the country will be end users of genetically engineered products produced elsewhere. Consequently, the greatest need will be for Belize to educate its consumers on the risk and benefit of such products and the need to develop the capabilities for detecting GMO material in products for consumption and products for planting. This need will require capacity building through training of technical personnel, the acquisition of appropriate testing equipment and the relevant reagents. In addition, Belize with its rich ecosystems and biodiversity may very well be the source of genetic material that forms the basis of further development by research companies through Modern Biotechnology. The legislative framework then, must be one that is holistic, broad enough to ensure that GMOs and GMO-derived products that are grown, marketed and imported, meet the highest standards of safety for the environment, as well as for human and animal health and one that ensures equitability, respect for indigenous knowledge, provision for liability and redress, and promote direct benefit to farmers and consumers.

The first National Biosafety Committee (NBC) was formed in November 2002 under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture took the lead in appointing members to this committee with the objective to review the use of GMOs and to draft appropriate policy and legislation for Biosafety and GMO use and to make recommendations for addressing present and future Biosafety issues in Belize.

1. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
2. Department of the Environment and Forestry Department - Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, Commerce and Industry
3. Ministry of National Development
4. Ministry of Health
5. Attorney General’s Ministry
6. Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA)
7. International Regional Organization for Health in Agriculture (OIRSA)
8. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
9. Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)
10. Belize Banana Growers Association
11. Belize Citrus Growers Association
12. Belize Bureau of Standards-Ministry of Finance
13. University of Belize
14. Belize Business Bureau
15. Belize Chamber of Commerce
    

• Invitation to the 2nd National Consultation on the Development of a National Biosafety Framework in Belize

With Belize accessing to the protocol and it coming into force for Belize in May 2004, Belize became the recipient of an UNEP/GEF project entitled “Development of National Biosafety Framework”, which is aimed at assisting countries to develop national biosafety regulatory and administrative regimes, decision-making systems including risk assessment, and mechanisms for public participation.

The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of National Development is the National Executing Agency in providing administrative support to the project and the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) has been appointed as the Implementing Agency to provide technical and scientific assistance to the work of the National Biosafety Committee/ National Coordinating Committee. These entities work in close collaboration with relevant government departments, international agencies, private sector participants and non- governmental organizations.

• An Assessment of the national capacity in the area of Biosafety, specifically: (1) Science & Technology, (2) Biotechnology, (3) Genetic Resources, (4) National and International legislation in Biosafety (5) National Food Safety, Animal and Plant Quarantine, including marine and marine products and (6) Regional mechanisms for harmonisation in Biosafety has been conducted through a consultancy developing a comprehensive National Biosafety Framework.

• Dr. Michael DeShield, Belize Focal Point on Biosafety attended two international meetings coordinated by the Convention on Biological Diversity. The meetings were (1) an Open Ended Technical Expert Group on Identification Requirements of Living Modified Organisms Intended for Direct Use as Food or Feed or for Processing, and (2) the 2nd Meeting of the Conference of Parties Serving as Meeting of the Parties (MOP 2) that took place in Montreal, Canada in March and May 2005 respectively.

• Two day workshop was held with the assistance of the Forestry Department, Ministry of Natural Resources with the main objective to raise public awareness on the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. At this same workshop a preliminary report of the assessment of the national capacity on Biosafety was presented to the stakeholders. This took place at Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City on July 28-29th 2005.

• A Risk Assessment and Management Workshop was conducted at the Convention Hotel, Belmopan on September 5 & 6th 2005. The facilitator was Dr. Abdul Moeed, Senior Scientific Advisor (New Organisms) Government of New Zealand. Dr. Moeed is an International nationally recognized expert on Biosafety and has been chosen from the roster of experts identified on the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH). The workshop outlined the principles of risk assessment and management in the context of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for living modified organisms (LMOs) as exemplified in Articles 15 and 16 and in Annex III. The principle was explained by case examples. A total of 31 participants attended this workshop, with representation coming primarily from the relevant regulatory agencies in Belize (Health, Agriculture and Environment), BAHA, and International agencies such as CARDI and IICA.

• The NBC invited Dr. Enrique Alarcon, Specialist in Technology and Innovation, IICA Headquarters, Costa Rica to share his knowledge and experience to the National Biosafety Committee with regards to the Development of a National Biosafety Framework. A day presentation was given at the George Price Center for Peace and Development, Belmopan on September 8th 2005. Topics discussed were the importance of Biotechnology, Biosafety and the development of a National Biosafety Framework. Dr. Alarcon also visited the Mennonite community in Spanish Lookout where he met and discussed the use of biotechnology with grain growers and farmers.

• Draft the National Biosafety Framework,

  • Development of the National Policy on Biosafety
  • Ensure legislative powers exist (develop new regulations or amend existing regulations) to address the issue identified with the safe use and handling of LMO’s
  • Agree on appropriate agency/ Competent Authority to carry out the implementation of the requirements of the Cartagena Protocol.
• Seek approval from the Government of Belize on the National Policy for Biosafety, the development of appropriate legislation; design a system that will handle notification and requests for notification, monitoring and enforcement and the mechanisms for promoting and facilitating public awareness, education and participation.
  

For more information about the Protocol, its entry into force, its reports and meetings schedule and work program, visit the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat's website. www.biodiv.org/biosafety. To know more about UNEP-GEF Biosafety Projects please visit the website unep.ch/biosafety/ .

If you wish to obtain more information on Biosafety in Belize please contact: