Chang

KINGSTON:

The Food Hygiene Bureau (FHB) will be hosting its Fourth International Food Safety Conference, July 30-31, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.

Dubbed 'Food Safety and Security - the Future', the two-day event will feature international and world-renowned food-safety experts, who will bring together a wealth of knowledge and information on the latest and best practices in these areas.

Meaningful dialogue

Marva Hewitt-Heaven, chief executive officer at the FHB, explained that the overall goal of the conference was to provide meaningful dialogue among the key stakeholders in the region, for a better understanding of the threats to the Caribbean's food supply and to find solutions.

As a result, the conference will facilitate discussions on several topics including new technologies; management systems; health and safety in schools; outbreak control in the hotel sector; food security and nutrition, and allergens and labelling.

- JIS

Fernandez

KINGSTON, (JIS):

Effective August 1, the Water Resources Authority (WRA) will be implementing a new fee structure for the application and granting of licences or consent (permits) to extract water.

The new fee will be $45,000. This is broken down to mean there is a $15,000 charge for the application and $30,000 for the licence or consent (permit).

According to Basil Fernandez, WRA managing director, the current cost to the WRA to process the application and permit is $45,750, of which only 33 per cent is recovered through the existing fees. The last increase in the fees was made in July 1997 and, despite increases in cost, has been maintained at $15,000 for the past 12 years.

Dr Horace Chang, minister of water and housing, has approved the new fee structure.

- JIS

Thomas

WESTMORELAND:

Residents of Meylers Avenue in Westmoreland on Monday launched a protest against the parish council.

The action came as a result of a dust nuisance the residents attribute to preliminary work done to a bridge damaged by heavy rains.

The protesters say heavy rains in the last week of April had caused a bridge in their community to collapse. They subsequently blocked that section of the road with debris and the Westmoreland Parish Council marled an adjoining property to be used as a bypass for the bridge.

According to the residents, the dust created by the marl is causing bronchial disorders in the community.

Councillor for North Savanna-La-Mar Devon Thomas visited the scene during the protest to explain that there was nothing he could presently do.

Thomas said that he had written to the Ministry of Local Govern-ment on the issue.

According to Thomas, fixing the bridge and the road could cost just over $5 million.

The parish council has said it does not have the money to finance the project at this time.

- Dalton Laing