Join us for the webinar “A Conversation About the Urgency to Introduce Front-of-Package Warning Labeling in the Caribbean”, Wednesday, 7 April 2021, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm (EDT) I (AST).

CARICOM Members States are currently in the final stages of voting on the adoption of the Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard for Specification for labelling of pre-packaged foods (FDCRS 5:2010).  Following a 3-year extensive multi-stakeholder consultative process the resulting FDCRS 5:2010 meets the highest level of scientific rigor based on the inclusion of the octagon-shaped front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) indicating when a product is “HIGH IN” one or more critical nutrients (such as sugars, sodium, or fats), and the PAHO nutrient profile model to inform the thresholds that define when these critical nutrients are in excess. Mounting international independent research including a recent study from Jamaica, supports the octagonal FOPWL as the most effective nutritional front-of-package labelling system to allow consumers of all socioeconomic levels to quickly, easily and correctly identify processed and ultra-processed packaged products high in sugars, fats and/or salt, which are linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity.

The webinar “A Conversation About the Urgency to Introduce Front-of-Package Warning Labeling in the Caribbean” is being hosted by the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission and UNICEF as part of the regional multimedia campaign “Now More Than Ever: Better Labels, Better Choices, Better Health”. Join us for a conversation with experts from regional public health institutions, academia and civil society about the public health arguments for FDCRS 5:2010 and the urgency to seize this unique opportunity to introduce octagonal warning labels as a key policy tool of a comprehensive approach to address NCDs, overweight and obesity in the Caribbean.

How to participate

• DATE: Wednesday, 7 April 2021 
• TIME: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm (EDT) I (AST) [see time correspondence below]
• REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bJFRlRlFSPyOlM-wPWhKUA
  • After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar.
• LANGUAGE: The session will be in English 

Agenda

• 11:00 am - 11:15 - Welcome and Opening Remarks   
  • Sir Trevor Hassell  – President, Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC)
  • Didacus Jules  – Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) (video message, TBC).
  • Aloys Kamuragiye   – UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area.
  • Anselm Hennis  – Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)

• 11:15 am - 11:30 am -  Presentation: Contribution of Front-of-Package Labeling to saving lives in the Caribbean: Rationale and Scientific Evidence  
  • Fabio da Silva Gomes  – Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisor, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (PAHO/WHO)


• 11:30 am - 12:10 pm -  A Conversation  about the FOPWL Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard (FDCRS) and its implications for the Caribbean 
  • Moderators  –
    • Sir George Alleyne – PAHO Director Emeritus
  • Panelists  –
    • Nicole Foster  – Deputy Dean, Academic and Student Affairs, Faculty of Law, UWI Cave Campus
    • Karen Sealey – Founder and Board Member of the Trinidad and Tobago NCD Alliance
    • Aloys Kamuragiye – UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area
    • Joy St. John – Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)

• 12:10 pm – 12:25 pm - Questions and Answers  
  • Maisha Hutton   – Executive Director, HCC

• 12:25 pm – 12:30 pm - Closing remarks   
  • Sir Trevor Hassell – President, HCC

Time correspondence 

• 8:00 am.– Los Angeles
• 9:00 am. – Belmopan, Guatemala City, Mexico City, Managua, San José (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa
• 10:00 am. – Kingston, Mexico City, Panamá City
• 11:00 am. –  Bridgetown, Castries, Georgetown, Nassau, Port-au-Prince, Port of Spain, San Juan, Road Town, Washington DC
• 12:00 pm. – Brasilia, Paramaribo
• 4:00 pm. – Geneva, Madrid

For other cities, check the time in the following link