Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo believes immediate action is needed as concerns mount over the growing issue of expired goods being sold in Guyana’s supermarkets.
At a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo didn’t mince words, condemning the practice as both dangerous and irresponsible.
His comments come in response to a recent report that highlighted a surge of substandard and expired products flooding the local market, a situation he believes is driven by a mix of corruption and weak regulatory oversight.
Jagdeo, speaking about his own experiences, recalled a recent visit to a Hotel, where he discovered a bottle of soda that had expired six months before it was even sold.
“I tasted it, and it was clear it was off,” he said. “When I checked the bottom, it was supposed to expire a year later, but after having it analyzed, we found it was already past its date. Worse, the expiration had been re-stamped.”
His investigation traced the re-stamping back to a facility on the East Coast of Demerara, suggesting a deliberate effort to pass off expired goods as fresh.
“It’s not an isolated incident,” Jagdeo warned.
“This is happening across the country, and it’s not just about expired goods. Some businessmen are buying products cheap, re-stamping them, and selling them at inflated prices. But it’s the people who are at risk, particularly our children.”
Jagdeo’s remarks echo broader concerns raised by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), whose President, Kester Hutson, has been vocal about the problem.
Hutson urged the public to speak out against expired and poorly labeled goods, calling for tougher monitoring by government agencies like the Food Analyst Department and Guyana Bureau of Standards.
The Vice President noted that the issue is not just about businesses cutting corners—it’s also about regulatory failure.
He warned that some agencies responsible for monitoring imports and product safety might be turning a blind eye, whether due to corruption or sheer oversight.
“Some people in customs or health departments may not be doing their jobs, or they may be turning a blind eye to it. We cannot let this continue,” Jagdeo stressed.
As Jagdeo put it, “This is a matter of life and death. The penalties should be severe, and the public and media should help expose this dangerous practice.”
