Food adulteration bill

The bill itself is a good one that inter alia stiffens the penalties for manufacturing and selling adulterated foods. Clearly, this is a step forward, because one of the problems had been that the previous punishments were not strict enough to have sufficient deterrence value. We hope that the more stringent punishment set forth in the new bill will help persuade would-be adulterators to clean up their act.

Of course, the new bill should only be the first of many steps, and we urge the government to continue on this path and not drop the ball at this stage. The amendment of the Pure Food Ordinance that has been tabled should be only one part of a comprehensive effort to clean up the industry and services and help make life healthier and safer for the general public.

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What is needed basically is a thorough revamping of the inspection and monitoring apparatus. The primary regulatory bodies, the BSTI and local bodies such as the DCC, must be fully staffed and funded so that they can ensure that the proposed act is fully implemented. There is no use in fixing stiff sentences if the mechanism to detect and apprehend violators does not exist.

The government should think about drafting a consumer protection law to go with the amendment to the Pure Food Ordinance, as well as setting up regulatory bodies and agencies that are devoted full time to the issue.

The food industry has taken a real hit due to the revelations of contamination and adulteration, and hopefully, the government actions will not only keep us safe, but also restore people's confidence in the sector, thereby helping to revive it.

The fact that the government is focusing on the problem is to be welcomed, but it is important to ensure that this level of pressure is kept up until thorough-going reform of the entire industry is accomplished.