Port Moresby, 3 June 2011—Papua  New Guinea has a lot of work to do before it decides on whether or not it should ban import and sale of lamb flaps in the country, the PNG Post-Courier reports. This was the conclusion reached at first ever intergovernmental agency meeting held on the subject in Port Moresby on June 2. The meeting was held in response to debates in Parliament and calls by public through media for the ban on import and sale of lamb flaps.

About 50 people attended, representing the Health Department, Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), Department of Agriculture and Livestock, National Capital District Commission, Parliamentary Committee on lamb flaps, Foreign Affairs and Trade and the National Food Standards Committee. A committee will now be formed to pursue the issues raised in this meeting.

World Health Organisation PNG representative Dr William Adu-Krow also attended and gave WHO’s support in this process.

It was discovered from the discussions that there are issues pertaining to a ban such as the trade implications as both PNG and New Zealand where the lamb flaps are imported are members of the World Trade Organisation which has legislations which they need to comply with.

A representative from the Foreign Affairs and Trade, who wished not to be named, informed the gathering that in a bid to ban the import of lamb flaps to PNG, it must ensure it complies with the WTO legislations to avoid negative repercussions on the country.

Other issues raised included the need for PNG to review its domestic laws pertaining to standards, food and sanitation; research to be conducted to support evidence that people were actually dying from eating lamb flaps; awareness for people to know the importance of eating healthy and finding an alternative source of protein for Papua New Guineans many of whom, it was said, are resorting to lamb flaps because they cannot afford other meats.

Health Department’s co-ordinator of lifestyle diseases Dr Thomas Vinit suggested that DAL come up with other sources of income which people can go for rather than lamb flaps.

Among recommendations was the need to establish Food Safety Authority to look at issues of standards and testing of products being sold so that they are good for people.

Dr Vinit said PNG had become a dumping ground for all sorts of products, including contraband items many of which are labeled in foreign languages which cannot be understood.

These includes food which could be dangerous to one’s health that need to be tested to ensure they are safe for consumption.

Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Sasa Zibe also attended the meeting and said he had raised the issue of lamb flaps at a global World Health Organisation conference and would be raising it again at the regional WHO conference meeting this month—PNG Post-Courier