Minister Michael Farrugia hosts Director General of F.A.O. for an Official Dinner

At an official dinner hosted by the Minister for Health, Care for the Elderly and Family Affairs, Dr Michael Farrugia said that FAO secures access to food for all, including the poor and less fortunate people around the world.

FAO is continuously fighting against hunger and malnutrition. In Malta it is not the case as the Maltese nation has no hunger problems, although we have bad eating habits.

FAO and Malta has started a program to strengthen Food Control and a task force composed of the Director of Public Health, Director of Vetenary Services was set up to implement the program.

The Ministry for Health, which has the primary responsibility for food control and nutrition has been fully entrusted with the execution of this program.

The establishment of the National Food Control System is going to be achieved by:

1. Organization and management of food control activities.

Enactment of a modern food law

Training of food inspectors

Upgrading of analytical facilities of the public health laboratory.

The FAO has inputted a total a total of 16,000US$ while the Maltese government has contributed towards:

Office facilities

Internal transport

Establishment of Task Force

Selection of participants to be trained

The Minister said that we are going through the implementation of the re organization in food control as suggested by the Jensen Report which includes:

Central food administration

Food advisory board

Enactment of new food law

Setting up of a Food Control Administration Unit within the Department of Public Health.

The food Safety Branch was set up and it's role is that:

1.Compilation of a National Food Establishment Register

2.Co-ordinating specific inspection and risk assessment programmes

3.Co-ordinating sampling programs

4.Drafting of legal notices and amendments

Minister Michael Farrugia augured the Director General best wishes for the implementation of other programs in other countries of the world.