By Samantha Semoso – EMTV Online
This year’s 12th Festival of Pacific Arts in Guam, has brought together 25 Pacific Island countries to showcase their cultural heritage, including traditional artefacts.
Participants always and very much want to take with them to their home countries artefacts and handicrafts from others countries, but due to the tough regulations of transportation across borders In the Pacific region, this has never happened.
However, thanks to the Pacific Community (SPC) with assistance from the Australian Government – funded Pacific Horticultural Market Access Program (PHAMA), a Biosecurity Regulations Manual was produced today which provides simple solutions and regulations on the type of materials used, exported, imported and the treatment requirements for different Pacific Island Countries.
It was and used to be a challenge getting access to timely and accurate biosecurity information, but has since been made easier today.
It is designed for easy referencing for a wide range of stakeholders, including cultural producers, retailers, exporters and quarantine officials.
Technical experts from the SPC are currently assisting the Festival Organising Committee in the areas of biosecurity, health surveillance, broadcasting and interpretation.
The Manual can be found online at: http:https:https://lrd.spc.int/bat-publications/doc_download/2453-handicraftbiosecuritymanual
