The following information has been provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a contribution to this project. It is authorised information provided to the WHO by the relevant government. The project would welcome additional material in the usual FLIP2000 format.
The Director of Health is responsible for the island's food safety administration. A Health Inspector and an Assistant Health Inspector carry out enforcement of the local pure food ordinances of the health authority.
To promote satisfactory food safety measures, local food hygiene education programmes and territorial training courses are arranged through the South Pacific Commission. There is no food analysis programme to monitor food contaminants on a regular basis. Any food that is in need of urgent analysis is forwarded to New Zealand.
The food safety aspects covered by the food legislation are shown in Annex 1. The legislation has only basic provisions covering food safety, food premises and medical examination and cleanliness of food handlers.
Licensing and registration of food premises are done by a licensing authority after clearance by the Health Department. The Director of Health, under Section 27 of the food legislation, has the power to order the closure of food premises which do not comply with relevant requirements.
Notification of foodborne diseases is made monthly by the Health Department to the central authority, and food poisoning statistics are compiled annually.