EPA launches Biosafety Workshop

The Environmental Protection Agency or (EPA) Tuesday, 15 April launched a biosafety diversity plan workshop here for the enhancement of human safety in the country.

The workshop, which is intended to decentralize affected areas in each affected community, brought together officials of government, members of the diplomatic corps, and various stakeholders to discuss measures that should be put in place in solving problems affecting the nation’s health.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the chief focal point of biosafety at the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Johansen T. Voker, said Liberia became full member of the biosafety in 2002.

He explained that the thought of becoming a member of this organization is to protect human environment, because “before we could become member there were many things lacking including good laboratory to conduct studies which had become a serious problem in the past.”

Mr. Voker said Liberia is one of the oldest countries in West Africa which needs to be protected from any kind of substance that will damage the health condition of her citizenry.

According to him, the essence of establishing the biosafety is to protect every protocol that was established, including rules and procedures that regulate the movement of the LMO from one country to another in providing healthy material and substance for every member state.

The focal point manager also stated that no community is allowed to conduct an environmental study with following the regular regulations and procedures that protect biosafety in any member state.

He pointed out that where a request is made under sub-regulation, the agency shall make the following consultation with the user, or decide which information is necessary, because if any shall be treated as confidential information, verifiable justification for that request shall be given by the user that makes such request.

He further narrated that this process is done mainly for countries in the constant habit of violating rules and regulation of the biosafety Act, because in every decision making under paragraph (a) the agency shall consider whether the public interest would be balance or be served by refusing to treat any or all the information as confidential.