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Isles stranger than fiction rice story continues
2007-04-30 09:43:36
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
The Zanzibar government has embarked on a shop to shop inspection to check retailer shops selling rice said to be unfit for human consumption.
The rice branded ``Super Power Rice`` was imported from Pakistan in March this year and cleared from Malindi port before receiving green light from the office of Chief Government Chemist.
The Government Chemist, a month later, announced that the rice was unfit for human consumption, prompting the government to halt its distribution in markets and retailer shops.
Director of Trade and Marketing Department Salma Masoud Ibrahim said they took measures after the Government Chemist confirmed the rice (about 2,900 tonnes) to be unfit for human consumption.
``We have resolved to inspect retailer shops. So far, we have managed to identify part of the rice stocked in some shops,`` Ibrahim said.
The rice consignment was imported by Bopar Enterprises Limited company. Part of it was shipped to Mombasa Kenya.
``The inspection will be conducted in all shops of Unguja regions in order to save people from effects which could result from consuming the condemned rice``, Ibrahim said.
She, however, said her ministry was waiting for the second report from the Government Chemist.
Bopar Enterprises has, however, insisted that there was nothing wrong with the rice, saying its suitability was verified by Pakistan`s Interteck Company prior to its shipment to Zanzibar.
``Should the second report prove the rice to be unfit for human consumption, the responsible company will be required to refund the retailers who bought it,`` Ibrahim said.
She, however, said the management of Bopar enterprises had taken a sample to the Government Chemist on the Mainland but her department was not involved in the whole process of taking the sample.
Bopar Enterprises ordered 4,000 tones of rice from Pakistan. A total of 2,900 tones were imported in Zanzibar on March this year while the remaining amount was taken to Mombasa, Kenya.
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