Livestock Service employees trained to become Extraordinary Police Officer

Ten employees of the Livestock Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) in Suriname have successfully completed their training as special police officers (BAVP) within the police of Suriname (KPS). This new group of BAVP’ers, the first of the Ministry of LVV, will have to supervise, among other things, the application of the existing legislation on livestock “Wet inspection of meat and other products of animal origin”.

During the certificate presentation ceremony which took place on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, Minister LVV Parmanand Sewdien underlined the importance of the new missions of this group of LVV managers. The Directorate of Livestock has been working for a long time to be able to adequately carry out the various tasks and powers provided for in the Law on the Inspection of Meat and Other Animal Products. After successfully completing their studies, this group will need to assume this important role in good conscience.

Because of its responsibility for agricultural products and food safety, the ministry is an important player in the Port Sanitary Commission. According to the Acting Director of Livestock, Anand Chotkan, the BAVP training will meet international conditions and standards to participate in the trade of meat and animal products between Suriname and different countries. It also helps to be able to provide guarantees for local production.

Newly trained people will have to ensure that the health of humans and animals is guaranteed from the border posts, where officials will be stationed. It is expected that from mid-January 2022, a second group of LVV officials will participate in this training in order to increase the capacity to implement veterinary inspection. A stricter policy of controlling unregulated imports of veterinary products will also be applied. Minister Sewdien pledged his full support to the regulatory bodies as food safety is of paramount importance to him and this will contribute to a healthy Suriname.