WE refer to your report “Minister: Biosafety law may be reviewed” (NST, June 21).

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as the local agency for biodiversity, including biosafety issues, has no plans to review the Biosafety Act (Act 678) passed by Parliament last year.

Moreover, the report was inaccurate in highlighting that the law has been enforced for four years.

The ministry is in the midst of drafting operational regulations and establishing a body to implement the law.

The ministry is taking an open and transparent consultative approach in drafting the regulations, which involve all major stakeholders.

The advisory committee on the regulations comprises representatives from government agencies, academia, research organisations, industry and non-governmental organisations.

This approach will result in a set of regulations that are predictable, ensuring transparency in its implementations.

The ministry plans to enforce the Biosafety Act 2007 by this year.

This law serves as a balanced legal framework, not impending the development of modern biotechnology, but ensuring the health of human, plant and animal and the environment on products of this technology through a science-based risk assessment.

DR AMERJIT SINGH BHAG SINGH for Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Source: NST – July 28, 2008