Veterinarians continue to be at the forefront of the Region’s quest to reduce its food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The acknowledgment came at the opening of the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on Thursday, 25 April 2024, where speakers highlighted the CVOs’ role in the development of the agriculture sector and in improving intra-regional trade

Among those who expressed appreciation to the CVOs, were Dr. Gavin Peters, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA); and Mr. Shaun Baugh, Programme Manager, Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development, CARICOM Secretariat. 

The two-day event under the chairmanship of Dr. Osbil Watson, CVO of Jamaica, was the second face-to-face meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held at a time when the Member States and the world face the challenge of new and emerging diseases related to plant and animal health.

Speakers at the opening underscored the need for partnerships to ensure that CARICOM Member States remain in a state of readiness to respond to emergencies.