A stronger and more vibrant consumer body is needed throughout the island.

This call has come from Commerce Minister, Donville Inniss, who lamented that in 2016, it was unfortunate that such a body had not reached its full potential here.

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of World Consumer Rights Day in Jubilee Gardens, Mr. Inniss stated that although this was beyond his control, his Ministry would continue to listen to the various consumers throughout Barbados, and not only take note of their concerns but also continue agitating to provide them with the right policies and programmes.

Referring to this year???s theme, Antibiotics off the Menu, the Minister pointed out that there was a recognition within the international health forum that antibiotics had been abused within research development in the animal industry to ensure the faster birth rate of some animals. Mr. Inniss further suggested that the consumption of such meat might eventually lower the effectiveness of antibiotics in humans.

???There is evidence here in Barbados, and perhaps more manifested through the Centre for Disease Research in the United States of America, as to the harmful effects of the current situation we are in. The resistance to antibiotics resulted in over 20,000 deaths in the USA, and certainly the inability to treat some diseases and illnesses.

???And, this places all of us at risk because if antibiotics do not work or do not work in the time frame and with the level of success experienced, then we will find ourselves with some illnesses emerging in our societies and certainly they will bring harm to all of us,??? he warned.

Mr. Inniss reaffirmed that his Ministry would continue to focus on ???getting antibiotics off the menu???, and would collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to address this issue.

theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb

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