Plant and Animal Imports Require BAHA and Forestry Inspection

Orlando Habet

Minister Habet says that while both the ministries of Agriculture and Sustainable Development have to conduct separate inspections, in the interest of facilitating someone, both parties could have simply worked together to speed up the process.

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management

“They have to do their part – BAHA for the phyto-sanitary part and Forestry has to look at the species to see if they are CITES-listed. If they are CITES-listed, then the importer has to get a permit. The permit is easy, you apply, put in the list of plants that you’re bringing in. The permit is free, so it comes in.”

Marion Ali

“She didn’t have a permit that met the Forestry regulations.”

Orlando Habet

“Right, so possibly – our understanding is that she didn’t have, so they were looking at how those species could affect us because you could have a CITES species that really is not an invasive species. Maybe it’s a species that’s maybe going into extinction. I mentioned the issue of having an inspection by BAHA one day and then the next day you have to do the forestry inspection, but you have a perishable product, so let’s come together, both ministries and try to see how we can collaborate and then things will happen fast.”