Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division Celebrates 50 Years

This year, the Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID), of the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
To commemorate its golden anniversary, the Division has been staging a series of activities since March, which will run until December.
These activities include an islandwide food safety poster and essay competition for secondary schools, and compliance and food safety, and pest control public education seminars.
Judging and the awarding of prizes for the schools’ competition have been completed, and seminars have already been held in Clarendon, St. James, and St. Elizabeth. In addition, the organisation held its commemorative church service in June, at the Saxthorpe Methodist Church in Constant Spring, and an Open Day on the FSPID’s grounds on Gordon Town Road in St. Andrew.
The Division will stage its next compliance and food safety seminar at Club Hotel RIU in Mammee Bay, St. Ann, on Wednesday, September 24, which will be open to the public, particularly persons in the food trade. Over 120 food establishments operating in St. Ann, will be receiving certificates of compliance, for conformance with regulations governing the trade.
State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, Michael Stern; President of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, Horace Wildes; and Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, and Chairman of the St. Ann Parish Council, Ivan Anderson, will be special guests at the forum.
Other activities planned for the rest of the year include: compliance and food safety seminars in other parishes, on dates and venues to be announced; and a peanut farmers seminar in St. Ann, in early November. A grand gala and banquet will cap off the year-long celebrations.
The Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division, is mandated to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of all foods and feeds, destined for commerce, from post harvesting to retailing. This mandate also includes monitoring the safe and effective use of pesticides in and around all food and food related areas, to ensure that only competent persons engage in usage and dispensing of such chemicals.