Cold Storage Boost

Source: Guyana Chronicle, 27th March 2008

GUYANA will have its first modern cold-storage facility at the main port of entry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri within two weeks following a joint venture among the Governments of Guyana and the United States and the Laparkan Group of Companies.

The facility, located nearby the Timehri Fire Station, left of the airport, was completed at a cost of $100M under President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and US$40,000 from Laparkan, which included the shipment of all 5 containers at a cost of US$5,000 each to Guyana.

Yesterday, the facility was toured by Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Mr. Thomas Shannon; Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral James Stavridis; Mission Director of USAID Mr. Peter Hubbard; Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Guyana, Ms. Karen Williams; Ms. Julia Roberts of the U.S. Embassy; Dr San San Min of the Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS); Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Laparkan Group of Companies, Mr. Glen Khan and others.

The facility comprises five storage containers - four 40-foot and a single 20-foot. The latter is dedicated to the storage of health products such as medicines and vaccines.

Minister Ramsammy noted that vaccines need to be stored separately from other health items as part of international regulations.

However, he acknowledged that it would not be feasible to have a container set aside solely for vaccines. Hence, the Chief Executive Officer of the Laparkan Group of Companies, Mr. Khan, said arrangements will be made to accommodate the specifications to store the vaccines.

&In the past when our medicine, vaccines, laboratory reagents come, these things must be kept in a cold environment or they will go bad within hours and since we buy hundreds of millions of dollars in these products…we will be able now to receive our medicines and vaccines and ensure they are safe before they get into general use,” Minister Ramsammy noted.

Mr. Khan was quick to point out that the necessary arrangements would be in place to secure the facility from being tarnished by the trade of illicit drugs.

&We will work with all vested interest parties: security, customs and the narcotic agency to make sure that it is not contaminated…we always have a proper due diligence process to ensure that nothing that is not supposed to go on that aircraft goes on that aircraft,” he declared, adding that the company has been in operation with cargo since February 6, 1992 and has never encountered a problem with illicit drugs.

He noted that Laparkan’s involvement in this project stems from its commitment to fuel the growth of non-traditional exports.

At present, the company operates two air cargo flights per week and would be adding a third on April 23, making the cold storage facility even more convenient. In the past, he said, exporters stored their perishables in refrigerated trucks outside the airport awaiting the aircraft.

&What it does now is a more organized process (whereby) you can bring your agriculture products to store, whether it is going on a passenger or cargo carrier,” he said. Exporters could also cumulatively store items at the facility and then shipped them off.

Minister Ramsammy commended the partnership noting that it is a prime example of how developing countries score significant achievements in spite of the resource-poor settings.

&We are in this position because we have strong partners and one of those partners is the U.S. Government, through PEPFAR. We have been careful in Guyana to ensure that the PEPFAR initiative leads to sustainable development. Guyana is delighted that we can demonstrate some of the examples of how this partnership could lead to overall development and not just a narrow response to one disease. This is an example of how an HIV response is leading to overall capacity development in our country,” minister Ramsammy said.

He noted that other initiatives under the PEPFAR programme that will aid national development are the Supply Chain Management System that maximizes efficiency of procurement and distribution of medical supplies around the country and the US$4M National Reference Laboratory under construction at the Georgetown Public Hospital compound.

On this note, the Health Minister expressed gratitude to the people and Government of the United States for choosing Guyana as a priority country under PEPFAR, adding that initiatives being implemented here under this project are being used as models in other countries, including Rwanda, Haiti and South Africa.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, noted that PEPFAR has been an astounding success as a developmental initiative.

In this regard, Mr. Shannon echoed the sentiment expressed by Minister Ramsammy that PREPFAR, as a public health initiative, has impacted on countries national development.

&This is really about social and economic development and how we can take PEPFAR and turn it into something greater than a public health programme and creating an environment in which people can take control of their own lives and take advantage of economic opportunities and make public health an essential part of it,” he added.

He said, too, that the United States is proud to have Guyana as a partner and would nurture this cordial relationship.

&Whatever generosity comes from the heart of the American people depends on the ability and skills of the partners and we are very happy to have a partner like Guyana,” he said

This amicable partnership was also cited by Commander Stavridis, who pointed to the recent visit of the U.S. Comfort ship as an apt expression of the collaboration.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hubbard said this venture stemmed from both governments’ commitments to develop the capacity to store non-traditional crops (perishable) for export and renewed the U.S. Government’s support to ensure the venture’s success.