Saint Lucia | BCH-NR4-LC-251801 | Fourth National Report on the Implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

General Information

Country

Saint Lucia

Contact person submitting the report

CHM-NFP-LC-258344-7 National Focal Points Mr. Jeremiah Kennedy Edmund

9. Organizations/stakeholders who were consulted or participated in the preparation of this report

Members of the National Biosafety Committee

EN

10. Time period covered by this report

From

31 May 2016

To

01 Jul 2020

Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

11. Is your country a Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)?

Yes

EN

Article 2 – General provisions

Article 2 requires each Party to take the necessary and appropriate legal, administrative and other measures to implement its obligations under the Protocol

14. Has your country introduced the necessary national measures for the implementation of the Protocol?

National measures are partially in place

EN

15. Which specific instruments are in place for the implementation of national biosafety measures? (select all that apply)

Other laws, regulations or guidelines that indirectly apply to biosafety

16. Has your country undertaken initiatives to mainstream biosafety into national biodiversity strategies and action plans, other policies, or legislation?

Yes

EN

Additional Information

A Biosafety Policy was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers and a Biosafety Bill is in draft with instructions from Cabinet to get it enacted

EN

17. Has your country established a mechanism for budget allocations for the operation of its national biosafety measures?

Yes

EN

18. Does your country have permanent staff to administer functions directly related to biosafety?

Yes

EN

19. If you answered Yes to question 18, how many permanent staff members are in place whose functions are directly related to biosafety ?

10 or more

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

20. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 2 in your country

Biosafety management is not housed in one agency. Several agencies manage different aspects of Biosafety and officers are not solely responsible for Biosafety. Insufficient budgetary allocations are made for Biosafety staffing, management and implementation.

EN

Article 5 - Pharmaceuticals

21. Does your country regulate the transboundary movement, handling or use of living modified organisms (LMOs) which are pharmaceuticals to humans?

No

EN

22. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 5 in your country

Article 6 – Transit and Contained use

23. Does your country regulate the transit of LMOs?

Yes

EN

24. Does your country regulate the contained use of LMOs?

No

EN

25. Has your country taken a decision concerning the import of LMOs for contained use?

Yes

EN

26. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 6 in your country

the Biosafety Policy of Saint Lucia covers transit of LMOs but not contained use as Saint Lucia does not have contained use of LMOs at present

EN

Articles 7 to 10 – Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) and intentional introduction of LMOs into the environment

27. Has your country established legal requirements for exporters under its jurisdiction to notify in writing the competent national authority of the Party of import prior to the intentional transboundary movement of an LMO that falls within the scope of the AIA procedure?

Yes

EN

28. When acting as the Party of export, has your country established legal requirements for the accuracy of information contained in the notification provided by the exporter?

Not applicable (Party currently not exporting LMOs)

EN

29. In the current reporting period, has your country received a notification regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

No

EN

30. If you answered Yes to question 29, did the notification(s) contain complete information (at a minimum the information specified in Annex I to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety)?

31. If you answered Yes to question 29, has your country acknowledged receipt of the notification(s) to the notifier within ninety days of receipt?

32. If you answered Yes to question 29, has your country informed of its decision(s)

a. The notifier?

b. The Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)?

33. In the current reporting period, has your country taken a decision in response to the notification(s) regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment?

No

EN

34. If you answered Yes to question 33, how many LMOs has your country approved for import for intentional introduction into the environment?

35. If you answered under question 34 that LMOs were approved, have all these LMOs actually been imported into your country?

36. If you answered Yes to question 33, what percentage of your country’s decisions fall into the following categories? (select all that apply)

37. If you answered under question 36 that your country has taken a decision to approve the import with conditions or to prohibit the import, were the reasons provided?

38. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Articles 7 to 10 in your country, including measures in case of lack of scientific certainty on potential adverse effects of LMOs for intentional introduction to the environment

Article 11 – Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (LMOs-FFP)

39. Does your country have law(s), regulation(s) or administrative measures for decision-making regarding domestic use, including placing on the market, of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

Yes

EN

40. Has your country established legal requirements for the accuracy of information to be provided by the applicant regarding the domestic use, including placing on the market, of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

No

EN

41. In the current reporting period, how many decisions has your country taken regarding domestic use, including placing on the market, of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

1 to 4

EN

42. Does your country have law(s), regulation(s) or administrative measures for decision-making regarding the import of LMOs for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

No

EN

43. In the current reporting period, how many decisions has your country taken regarding the import of LMOs for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

1 to 4

EN

44. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 11 in your country, including measures in case of lack of scientific certainty on potential adverse effects of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing

The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards SLBS has developed voluntary standards that covers the labelling of packaged items that enters the country which includes the identification on LMOSs on packages

EN

Article 12 – Review of decision

45. Has your country established a mechanism for the review and change of a decision regarding an intentional transboundary movement of LMOs?

No

EN

46. In the current reporting period, has your country reviewed and/or changed a decision regarding an intentional transboundary movement of an LMO?

No

EN

47. If you answered Yes to question 46, how many decisions were reviewed and/or changed?

48. If you answered Yes to question 46, were any of the reviews triggered by a request from the Party of export or the notifier?

49. If you answered Yes to question 48, did your country provide a response within ninety days setting out the reasons for the decision?

50. If you answered Yes to question 46, were any of the reviews initiated by your country as the Party of import?

51. If you answered Yes to question 50, did your country, within thirty days, set out the reasons for the decision and inform

a. The notifier

b. The BCH?

52. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 12 in your country

Article 13 – Simplified procedure

53. Has your country established a mechanism for the application of the simplified procedure regarding an intentional transboundary movement of LMOs?

No

EN

54. In the current reporting period, has your country applied the simplified procedure?

No

EN

55. If you answered Yes to question 54, for how many LMOs has your country applied the simplified procedure?

56. If you answered Yes to question 54, has your country informed the Parties through the BCH of the cases where the simplified procedure was applied?

57. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 13 in your country

Article 14 – Bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements and arrangements

58. How many bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements or arrangements relevant to biosafety has your country established with other Parties/non-Parties?

1 to 4

EN

59. If you answered under question 58 that agreements or arrangements were established, please provide a brief description of their scope and objective

Arrangements made to utilise the laboratory facilities of the University of the West Indies for testing and identification of LMOs.

EN

60. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 14 in your country

Articles 15 & 16 – Risk Assessment and Risk Management

61. Does the domestic regulatory framework of your country require risk assessments of LMOs to be conducted?

Yes

EN

62. If you answered Yes to question 61, with regard to which LMOs does the requirement apply (select all that apply)?

For imports of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment
For imports of LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing
For decisions regarding domestic use, including placing on the market, of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movements for direct use as food or feed, or for processing

63. Has your country established a mechanism to conduct risk assessments prior to taking decisions regarding LMOs?

No

EN

64. If you answered Yes to question 63, does the mechanism include procedures to identify and/or train national experts to conduct risk assessments?

Capacity-building in risk assessment or risk management

65. How many people in your country have been trained in risk assessment, risk management and monitoring of LMOs?

a. Risk assessment

1 to 9

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

b. Risk management

1 to 9

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

c. Monitoring

1 to 9

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

66. Is your country using training material and/or technical guidance for training in risk assessment and risk management of LMOs?

No

EN

67. If you answered Yes to question 66, is your country using the “Manual on Risk Assessment of LMOs” (developed by the CBD Secretariat) for training in risk assessment?

68. If you answered Yes to question 66, is your country using the “Guidance on Risk Assessment of LMOs” (developed by the Online Forum and the AHTEG on Risk Assessment and Risk Management) for training in risk assessment?

69. Does your country have specific needs for further guidance on specific topics of risk assessment of LMOs?

Yes

EN

Additional Information

Identification, detection and monitoring of LMOs

EN

70. Does your country have the capacity to detect, identify, assess the risk of and/or monitor living modified organisms or specific traits that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to human health?

a. Detect

No

EN

b. Identify

No

EN

c. Assess the risk

No

EN

d. Monitor

No

EN

Conducting risk assessment or risk management

71. Has your country adopted or used any guidance documents for the purpose of conducting risk assessment or risk management, or for evaluating risk assessment reports submitted by notifiers?

a. Risk assessment

No

EN

b. Risk management

No

EN

72. If you answered Yes to question 71, is your country using the “Guidance on Risk Assessment of LMOs” (developed by the Online Forum and the AHTEG on Risk Assessment and Risk Management) for conducting risk assessment or risk management, or for evaluating risk assessment reports submitted by notifiers?

73. Has your country adopted common approaches or methodologies to risk assessment in coordination with other countries?

Yes

EN

74. Has your country cooperated with other Parties with a view to identifying LMOs or specific traits that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity?

Yes

EN

75. In the current reporting period, has your country conducted any kind of risk assessment of LMOs, including for contained use, field trials, commercial purposes, direct use as food, feed, or for processing?

No

EN

76. If you answered Yes to question 75, how many risk assessments were conducted?

77. If you answered Yes to question 75, please indicate the scope of the risk assessments (select all that apply)

78. If you answered Yes to question 75, were risk assessments conducted for all decisions taken on LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment or on domestic use of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing?

79. Has your country established appropriate mechanisms, measures and strategies to regulate and manage risks identified in the risk assessment of LMOs?

No

EN

80. Has your country taken appropriate measures to prevent unintentional transboundary movements of LMOs, including such measures as requiring a risk assessment to be carried out prior to the first release of a LMO?

No

EN

81. Has your country taken measures to ensure that any LMO, whether imported or locally developed, undergoes an appropriate period of observation that is commensurate with its life-cycle or generation time before it is put to its intended use?

No

EN

82. Has your country established a mechanism for monitoring potential effects of LMOs released into the environment?

No

EN

83. Does your country have the necessary infrastructure (e.g. laboratory facilities) for monitoring or managing LMOs?

No

EN

84. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Articles 15 and 16 in your country

Saint Lucia is in the process of constructing a Diagnostic Centre that will house laboratories that will have LMO identification and detection capabilities. The draft Biosafety Bill is under review and should be out of draft form, and enacted shortly.

EN

Article 17 – Unintentional transboundary movements² and emergency measures

² In accordance with the operational definition adopted in decision CP-VIII/16, “‘Unintentional transboundary movement’ is a transboundary movement of a living modified organism that has inadvertently crossed the national borders of a Party where the living modified organism was released, and the requirements of Article 17 of the Protocol apply to such transboundary movements only if the living modified organism involved is likely to have significant adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, in the affected or potentially affected States.”

85. Has your country established measures to notify affected or potentially affected States, the Biosafety Clearing-House and, where appropriate, relevant international organizations in case of a release under its jurisdiction that leads, or may lead, to an unintentional transboundary movement?

Yes, to some extent

EN

Additional Information

This is covered in the Saint Lucia Biosafety Policy and as a Party to the Protocol Saint Lucia is obligated to do so under Article 17

EN

86. In the current reporting period, how many releases of LMOs occurred under your country’s jurisdiction that led, or may have led, to an unintentional transboundary movement?

None

EN

87. If you answered under question 86 that a release occurred, has your country notified affected or potentially affected States, the Biosafety Clearing-House and, where appropriate, relevant international organizations?

88. Does your country have the capacity to take appropriate response measures in response to unintentional transboundary movements?

Yes

EN

89. In the current reporting period, how many times has your country become aware of an unintentional transboundary movement into its territory?

None

EN

90. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 17 in your country

Article 18 – Handling, transport, packaging and identification

91. Has your country taken measures to require that LMOs that are subject to transboundary movement are handled, packaged and transported under conditions of safety, taking into account relevant international rules and standards?

Yes, to some extent

EN

Additional Information

The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards SLBS has developed voluntary standards that cover the labelling of packaged items that enters the country which includes the identification on LMOSs on packages

EN

92. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs-FFP, in cases where the identity of the LMOs is not known, clearly identifies that they may contain LMOs and are not intended for intentional introduction into the environment, as well as a contact point for further information?

Yes, to some extent

EN

93. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs-FFP, in cases where the identity of the LMOs is known, clearly identifies that they contain LMOs and are not intended for intentional introduction into the environment, as well as a contact point for further information?

Yes

EN

94. If you answered Yes to question(s) 91, 92 and/or 93, what type of documentation accompanying LMOs does your country require?

As part of other documentation (not specific for LMOs)

EN

95. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs that are destined for contained use clearly identifies them as LMOs and specifies any requirements for the safe handling, storage, transport and use, the contact point for further information, including the name and address of the individual and institution to whom the LMO are consigned?

No

EN

96. If you answered Yes to question 95, what type of documentation does your country require for the identification of LMOs that are destined for contained use?

97. Has your country taken measures to require that documentation accompanying LMOs that are intended for intentional introduction into the environment of the Party of import clearly identifies them as living modified organisms; specifies the identity and relevant traits and/or characteristics, any requirements for the safe handling, storage, transport and use, the contact point for further information and, as appropriate, the name and address of the importer and exporter; and contains a declaration that the movement is in conformity with the requirements of this Protocol applicable to the exporter?

No

EN

98. If you answered Yes to question 97, what type of documentation does your country require for the identification of LMOs that are intended for intentional introduction into the environment?

99. Does your country have available any guidance for the purpose of ensuring the safe handling, transport, and packaging of living modified organisms?

Yes

EN

100. Does your country have the capacity to enforce the requirements of identification and documentation of LMOs?

No

EN

101. How many customs officers in your country have received training in the identification of LMOs?

10 to 49

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

102. Has your country established procedures for the sampling and detection of LMOs?

No

EN

103. How many laboratory personnel in your country have received training in detection of LMOs?

1 to 9

EN

Is this number adequate

No

EN

104. Does your country have reliable access to laboratory facilities for the detection of LMOs?

No

EN

105. How many laboratories in your country are certified for LMO detection?

None

EN

106. If you answered under question 105 that certified laboratories exist in your country, how many of them are currently operating in the detection of LMOs?

107. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 18 in your country

Article 19 – Competent National Authorities and National Focal Points

108. In case your country has designated more than one competent national authority, has your country established a mechanism for the coordination of their actions prior to taking decisions regarding LMOs?

Not applicable (only one competent national authority was designated)

EN

109. Has your country established adequate institutional capacity to enable the competent national authority(ies) to perform the administrative functions required by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety?

Yes, to some extent

EN

Additional Information

Some capacity has been developed, however staffing changes and turnover may have resulted in reduced numbers.Capacity building needs to be institutionalized and succession planning is needed

EN

110. Has your country undertaken initiatives to strengthen collaboration among national focal points, competent national authority(ies) and other institutions on biosafety-related matters?

Yes

EN

Additional Information

A National Biosafety Committee was established which comprises a wide range of government agencies, NGOs and civil society who handle Biosafety issues

EN

111. Here you may provide further details on the implementation of Article 19 in your country

Article 20 – Information Sharing and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)

112. Please provide an overview of the status of the mandatory information provided by your country to the BCH by specifying for each category of information whether it is available and whether it has been submitted to the BCH.

a. Existing legislation, regulations and guidelines for implementing the Protocol, as well as information required by Parties for the advance informed agreement procedure (Article 20, paragraph 3 (a))

Information not available

EN

b. Legislation, regulations and guidelines applicable to the import of LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 5)

Information not available

EN

c. Bilateral, multilateral and regional agreements and arrangements (Articles 14, paragraph 2 and 20, paragraph 3 (b))

Information available but not in the BCH

EN

d. Contact details for competent national authorities (Article 19, paragraphs 2 and 3), national focal points (Article 19, paragraphs 1 and 3), and emergency contacts (Article 17, paragraph 3 (e))

Information available and in the BCH

EN

e. Decisions by a Party regarding transit of LMOs (Article 6, paragraph 1)

Information not available

EN

f. Decisions by a Party regarding import of LMOs for contained use (Article 6, paragraph 2)

Information not available

EN

g. Notifications regarding the release under your country’s jurisdiction that leads, or may lead, to an unintentional transboundary movement of a LMO that is likely to have significant adverse effects on biological diversity (Article 17, paragraph 1)

Information not available

EN

h. Information concerning cases of illegal transboundary movements of LMOs (Article 25, paragraph 3)

Information not available

EN

i. Decisions regarding the importation of LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment (Article 10, paragraph 3)

Information not available

EN

j. Information on the application of domestic regulations to specific imports of LMOs (Article 14, paragraph 4)

Information not available

EN

k. Decisions regarding the domestic use of LMOs that may be subject to transboundary movement for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 1)

Information not available

EN

l. Decisions regarding the import of LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing that are taken under domestic regulatory frameworks (Article 11, paragraph 4) or in accordance with Annex III to the Protocol (Article 11, paragraph 6)

Information not available

EN

m. Declarations regarding the framework to be used for LMOs intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing (Article 11, paragraph 6)

Information not available

EN

n. Review and change of decisions regarding intentional transboundary movements of LMOs (Article 12, paragraph 1)

Information not available

EN

o. Cases where intentional transboundary movement may take place at the same time as the movement is notified to the Party of import (Article 13, paragraph 1 (a))

Information not available

EN

p. LMOs granted exemption status by each Party (Article 13, paragraph 1 (b))

Information not available

EN

q. Summaries of risk assessments or environmental reviews of LMOs generated by regulatory processes and relevant information regarding products thereof (Article 20, paragraph 3 (c))

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