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The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program – Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF) has commenced implementation of a two-year project to regulate the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) resulting from genetic engineering processes.
Through genetic engineering scientists can isolate and transfer the genes of one organism and place them into the cells of other, unrelated organisms to form a new entity with new characteristics. Common examples of this are soya beans with herbicide tolerance and corn with pesticidal properties.
While there are some benefits to the use of the technology there are also possible risks to human health and the environment. The Biosafety project recognizes this duality and seeks to ensure that GMOs can be made, used, transported and imported into Saint Lucia in a manner which is safe to human, plant, animal health and the environment.
A critical component of the project is building/increasing national capacity to identify and detect GMOs and enforce the provisions of the Biosafety legislation. We are also charged with spreading information to the public on GMOs, the Biosafety project, Saint Lucia’s draft Biosafety law and the role that each and every citizen must play in biosafety management.