Another Caribbean Christmas in Belize , many parties and dinners . Christmas is not commercialized like it is in states and other places . NO Walmart , Target or shopping malls here, Holidays in Belize are all about family and friends ! (Picture of Christmas tree in town center , Thanks to Barry Bowen )
Foxy is better 
in time for Christmas (tick fever) .
She had all the signs of tick fever, but; the seizures threw us off . Very Thankful to have Foxy back , we came terribly close to losing her . Glad we gave her the medication as extra precaution ! Thanks everyone for the suggestions and well wishing .
We had a wonderful dinner at the Gibsons , Ken does amazing with that grill ! THANKS xx
Frank in the white t-shirt telling us about the crazy day he had . Matt and I enjoying Frank’s sense of humor , as he describes it . We think Frank has caught the Belize BUG , he has canceled his plans to return to the Northeast 3 times . Chances are pretty good Frank will become an island resident , he just doesn’t know it yet . We think Frank will fit in FINE .
The Gals up their belting out Christmas carols (Road Kill bar)
Crazy Canucks was jamming
Warumguma’s restaurant for pupusas ($1.25 U.S.) is always a treat .
After the nightlife , we can be seen enjoying a walk threw town tasting different local foods . We should have bought more for breakfast the next morning .
Happy ” Boxing Day” everyone , rest up for next year !
Posted 7 months ago at 12:18 pm. Add a comment
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) is a statutory body designed to modernize the Agricultural Health Services in Belize. It was established under the Laws of Belize “Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act, Chapter 211 of the Substantive Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000.” BAHA is governed by a Board of Directors, which is the policy making organ of the Authority, with representatives from both Government and the Private Sector.
“To be the leading Agricultural Health Institute in the Region”
To provide optimum, competent and professional services in Food Safety, Quarantine, Plant and Animal Health in order to safeguard the health of the Nation and facilitate Trade and Commerce.
Click here for Procedure for the Acquisition of Import Permits
The Animal Health Department, in its mandate to protect animal health and life, provides those veterinary services that stimulate the growth of the livestock industry. It assists in achieving a level of animal production that can sustain the nations’ food of animal origin needs while contributing the necessary veterinary support to the livestock industry, which can then be expanded for export markets.
Valid import permit from BAHA. Applications can be submitted at any BAHA office. Where the permit and conditions are faxed outside Belize, which is payable upon entry – this permit bears a stamp stating ‘pay upon entry”.
Meet conditions of importation that accompany import permit.
(A) must have a recent veterinary certificate of health (14 days)
(B) must have a valid rabies certificate: not less than one month or more than one year prior to the date of importation into Belize. This certificate can be included in the veterinary certificate.
(C) Other conditions as specified.
Dogs and cats which do not meet rabies requirements (as less than three months of age) are to be confined at home until they reach three months of age, at which time the animal must be vaccinated against rabies and confined for an additional 30 days.
A BAHA veterinary officer or quarantine officer may inspect animals placed in confinement to verify confinement and rabies vaccination. This cost is to be borne by importer.
Dogs and cats arriving at a port of entry into Belize without a valid permit. In addition, any dog or cat without a valid rabies vaccination will be placed in confinement until its rabies vaccination is valid (any cost associated with this is to be borne by the importer.)
Quarantine inspection at the port of entry is required for all dogs and cats. Dogs and cats coming from countries considered of risk (for example, there is the risk of screwworm in dogs and cats coming from South America) will need to undergo veterinary inspection at the port of entry. There is an additional fee for veterinary inspection.
Importer is to obtain a valid import permit.
Live animals will only be inspected at the authorized port of entry specified on the import permit.
The Director of Animal Health is to be notified two (2) days in advance of date and time of arrival of live animals at point of entry. Veterinary inspection at point of entry will be done only during daylight hours (9 am – 4 pm). For your information, the telephone numbers of veterinarians that can be contacted are:
Dr. Victor Gongora – Central Farm- Ph: 011-501-824 – 4872/99 (Director of Animal Health)
Dr. Joe Myers – O/Walk – Ph: 011-501-322-3257 (Quarantine, Northern Districts)
Dr. Miguel Depaz – Central Farm – Ph: 011-501-824-4872/99 (Quarantine, Cayo District)
Dr. Miguel Figueroa – Belize City – Ph: 011-501-224-5230/4794 (Quarantine, Belize District)Prior to the issue of an import permit for the importation of live animals:
(A) Risk analysis may be conducted including possible inspection of farm and area of origin by BAHA veterinary Officer. Where the live animals are to be in-transit through an area not free of a prescribed disease, a BAHA veterinary officer may be required to supervise the operation and accompany the pigs.
(B) the Veterinary Officer in the district where the live animals will be quarantined must certify that the quarantine station meets minimal standards and has spoken to importer re quarantine arrangements and costs.
The live animals will be inspected at the point of entry by a Veterinary Officer of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority. Live animals not permitted entry will be returned to origin at the expense of the importer.
Any cost incurred in the processing of live animals for entry into Belize will be borne by the importer.
Live animals allowed entry into Belize will be subjected to a period of quarantine not less than thirty (30) days. During quarantine the live animals may be retested and must be negative to any test done before released from quarantine. These costs as well as cost of supervision during quarantine period including cost of any health measure taken during the period are to be borne by the importer.
The vehicles used to transport the live animals from the port of entry into Belize to the quarantine station were cleaned and disinfected.
No fodder or bedding accompanying the live animals will be allowed entry. Any livestock gear accompanying the live animals will be disinfected at the importer’s expense.
The services of BAHA’s Animal Health Department can be described as follows:
FACTSHEET: Import Risk Analysis for animals and animal products
(Click here for form)
The importation of animals and animal products involves a degree of disease and food safety risk to Belize. This risk needs to be assessed in an objective and defensible manner to ensure that the disease and food safety risks posed by imported goods are identified and managed effectively. The WTO under the SPS Agreement specifies that:
Disease risk assessments should evaluate the likelihood of entry, establishment or spread of a disease within an importing country according to the measures which might be applied, and the associated biological and economic consequences.
Food safety risk assessments should evaluate the potential for adverse effects on human or animal health from the presence of pathogenic agents, additives, contaminants or toxins in foods, beverages or feedstuffs.
In general, an import risk analysis is conducted when:
The goods* have never been previously imported. [* - animals, animal products, animal genetic material, feedstuffs, biological products and pathological material]The goods originate from a country or region not previously approved. The health status of the country or region changes.
There is new information on a particular disease.
It is required that a country or region provide evidence that an export good does not represent a significant risk to Belize.
The process of regionalization is initiated.
Factors to be considered in an import risk analysis must be based on science. Relevant factors include:
Available scientific data.
Relevant processes and production methods.
Relevant inspection, sampling and testing methods.
The existence of eradication or control measures.
BAHA is the competent authority to commission import risk analysis, to implement the recommendations and to draw up a schedule of the proposed sanitary measures. BAHA, through SI 54 of 2004, includes site visits for verification purposes as a part of the import risk analysis. Since 2003, BAHA has conducted site visits in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica and the USA. Countries such as Barbados, Argentina, Costa Rica and Nicaragua have requested BAHA to conduct import risk analysis for particular goods, inviting BAHA to also conduct the appropriate site visits.
http://www.baha.bz/about.html
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Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago at 6:52 am. Add a comment
