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We Either Survive or Die (part II)

January 31, 2007

camlebi2.gifOne more problem is that the customer cannot protect himself. According to Giorgi Maghradze, representative of the “Georgian Green Movement”, food products are not controlled and everybody acts willfully. “The situation is really urgent. We hoped a new service department will be created, but even it was delayed. Most of food we eat is dangerous for our health.”

For example, every bakery has its own method to bake bread. Nobody controls their activities. I have read on one of the labels that “the technology is different”. Thus everybody acts according to his own wish. A customer cannot find a healthy product though he desires, because the label does not give information about ingredients. Unless the population demands, the government is not going to protect people’s rights to healthy life, healthy environment and optimal choice.”

According to the analysis of the food experts, the most dangerous foods are alcohol and soft drinks, bread, dairy products, meat and sausages.

Public Defender also admitted the problem is stark. He said the survey proved that society doubted for a long time. However, we cannot offer the people any mechanisms to avoid the danger.

Sozar Subari: “I do not say that everything is poisonous, though they do not meet the standards and threatens the health. It is one of the most important fields what is not considered in our country properly. The problem deals with the right to healthy life, the right to life and the government should carry out monitoring on the problem. The field is not controlled at all. The materials we have obtained during the survey will definitely include our report.”

The Risk Is Evident

Neither Guliko Dvali, the chief of the research department of the Institute for the Sanitary and Hygiene Scientific Researches, denies that we face serious problem. She said in her conversation with the Human Rights Center that the implemented activities are not enough. “The reason is that the service center, which will regulate the process, is being formed.”

Journalist: How safe is the food we eat?
Guliko Dvali: We can underline several problems regarding the problem. 1. How healthy food entrepreneurs produce; 2. How the food is transported to the market and whether the transporting conditions are followed; 3. How the food is realized; and 4. Whether customers know what they buy. You know that everything needs extra components while it is produced. Those components are used to prolong the storage terms.  However, overdose of those components might threaten the life. So we face the risk.” 

Nodar Khatiashvili represents the National Agency of Metrology. He thinks that both dangerous and healthy food is sold in Georgian market, though the point is which of them dominates the market. “I think 50% of the food is healthy. As for the threats, they are various. Some of them kill; others cause illnesses or poison, etc. Developed countries also have similar problem. To eradicate the problem, we should create a control system and it is being developed in our country. I think we need at least four years to reach the European model of market control.”

The Legislative Body is also concerned about the situation on the Georgian market. Although, they are responsible to adopt the laws, they do not see any initiative among specialists.

Paata Kurdovanidze, representative of the Parliament’s Healthcare Committee, does not like the state policy in the field either. He said that there is no difference a person is poisoned with water or tomato. The point is that the government should take sufficient measures to eradicate the problem. “We have Sanitary Code but it does not work because there is no institution to implement it in Georgia. The Ministry of Agriculture sent lawyers to work in this field while we needed food experts. We want skilled professionals and responsible people to involve the process.”

We Are Introducing New Systems and Let Us Do the Job…

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture cannot understand what people worry about and they say that they are doing their best to improve the situation. Nikoloz Gugushvili, the chief of the Safe Food Department, said that similar questions should be discussed at the negotiations and not with journalists. He added that the government has taken some measures and it is not right to claim that there is no policy in the country to control the market.  “The argument will have no outcome. We are inviting experts from abroad and they are introducing new systems in our country,” it is Gugushvili’s position.

Journalist: How healthy is the food that we eat?
Nikoloz Gugushvili: The problem really exists but it can be resolved. According to our policy, importer, distributor and local entrepreneur are responsible for the quality of the food. As for the state monitoring, it should be carried out only on main products such as water, meat and meat products. Thus, the statements about uncontrolled situaitons are false. We need time to develop, increase our knowledge and create the service departments similar to European level.”

The Georgian Constitution, Article 30 guarantees the customers’ rights. Their rights are protected by the Georgian Civil Code and laws on “protection of customers’ rights,” on “certification of the production and service”; on “the safety and quality of food” and some other normative acts.

There is no statistics of people who were poisoned by food. As for those who were poisoned by medicines and biological substances, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, 1487 cases were found out in 2003, 1487 in 2004 and 1564 cases in 2005. 

Eka Gulua

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