Promoter

Background A sensitization session on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) was held on 23 September 2026 at the Scarlet Ibis Conference Room, Head Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). The session targeted personnel involved in Plant Quarantine and was intended to strengthen understanding of the Cartagena Protocol, the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH), and the proposed arrangements for administering biosafety in Trinidad and Tobago. The programme also included a practical case study on the importation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and administration of a questionnaire to support the stakeholder consultation process. Participation A total of 24 persons were recorded on the attendance register. The session was attended predominantly by personnel of the Research Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (20 persons), reflecting the workshop's focus on Plant Quarantine and related regulatory functions. Other participants included one representative each from CARDI, Animal Nutrition and Health and the Ministry responsible for Trade/TTBizLink, The range of participants was particularly relevant given the inter-agency coordination required for implementation of the Cartagena Protocol and the proposed national biosafety framework. Workshop Proceedings The session was chaired by the Ministry’s consultant on Biosafety, Dr. Marissa Moses, CARDI, who opened the workshop by introducing the three national officers with focal-point responsibilities related to the Cartagena Protocol: Mr. Ian Mohammed, Mr. Amel Baksh and Ms. Farah Aligour. Mr. Amel Baksh provided an introduction to the Cartagena Protocol and its role in the safe handling and transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs). A particularly useful aspect of the presentation was the comparison between the biosafety framework and the more familiar plant-health regulatory system under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). This provided a practical point of reference for Plant Quarantine personnel and helped to place biosafety requirements within the context of existing regulatory responsibilities. Ms. Farah Aligour subsequently provided a practical demonstration of the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) using Trinidad and Tobago as an example. In addition to demonstrating the information available for Trinidad and Tobago, participants were shown how the BCH can be used to access information from other countries. Of particular relevance was the availability of national biosafety legislation and risk assessments, allowing users to examine the approaches and experiences of other countries in implementing biosafety systems Representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry then provided a demonstration of the TTBizLink operational system, showing participants how applications for import permits are submitted and processed online through the platform. Participants were introduced to the important role already played by TTBizLink in facilitating a range of national regulatory applications. The demonstration was particularly relevant to the discussion on establishing an operational biosafety system, as it is envisaged that the existing platform could potentially be used in the future to facilitate applications associated with the Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) procedure for the importation of LMOs. Dr. Moses then presented the Proposed Biosafety Framework for Trinidad and Tobago. The proposed framework has evolved from almost a decade of consultation with relevant stakeholders and government ministries and seeks to provide a coordinated approach for the national administration of biosafety. The presentation provided participants with an overview of the proposed institutional arrangements and the respective roles of agencies involved in the biosafety decision-making process. A guided case study on the importation of GMOs was then initiated to allow participants to apply the information presented during the session. The session concluded with administration of the BCH questionnaire recommended for use during the stakeholder consultation process. This provided an opportunity to capture information and perspectives from Plant Quarantine personnel as part of the wider consultation exercise. Overall Outcome Overall, the session combined technical sensitization, practical demonstrations and stakeholder consultation. The presentations moved from the international regulatory framework and access to biosafety information, through an existing national system for managing import applications, to the proposed institutional framework for administering biosafety in Trinidad and Tobago. Importantly, the case-study discussion identified an area requiring further clarification and inter-agency dialogue. Establishing a common understanding among the relevant agencies will be important for the effective implementation of the national biosafety framework. The sensitization workshop was supported under the project “Support to Preparation of the Fifth National Reports on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety”

Institution working with the development of technologies to fight the main pest from agriculture and public health through biotechnology.

Protein coding sequence | Changes in quality and/or metabolite content (Pigmentation / Coloration)