Section 2: Interpretation

2. Interpretation In this Act— “accident” means an incident involving an unintended release of genetically modified organisms which could have an immediate or delayed adverse impact on the environment or human and animal health; “applicant” means a person in control of a facility involving the genetic modification of organisms, or of activities involving genetically modified organisms, who applies for a GMO permit; “authorised officer” means a public officer designated as such by the Permanent Secretary; “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Committee; “Committee” means the National Biosafety Committee established under section 4; G7 – 1 [Issue 1] Genetically Modified Organisms Act “contained use“ means any operation undertaken within a facility which involves genetically modified organisms that are controlled by specific measures to effectively limit their contact with, and their impact on, the external environment; “environment“ has the same meaning as in the Environment Protection Act; “facility“ includes, but is not limited to— (a) a building or part of a building; (b) a laboratory; (c) a green house; (d) a glasshouse; (e) an insectary; (f) an animal house; (g) a field; (h) any other place, where activities involving genetically modified organisms are carried on; “general release“ means the introduction of genetically modified organisms into the environment by whatever means where the organisms are no longer contained by any system of barriers or under any person's control, so that the organisms are likely to survive and be disseminated; “genetically modified organism” or “GMO“— (a) means an organism, the genes or genetic material of which has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination, or both; and (b) includes any of its derivatives; “GMO permit“ means a permit issued by the Permanent Secretary under section 8; “member“— (a) means a member of the Committee; (b) includes the Chairperson; “Minister“ means the Minister to whom responsibility for the subject of agriculture is assigned; “monitoring“ means the maintaining of regular surveillance over, the checking of, the warning about, or the recording of, any activity involving genetically modified organisms; “organism“— (a) means a cellular or non-cellular biological entity, capable of metabolism, replication, reproduction or of transferring genetic material; and (b) includes a micro-organism; [Issue 1] G7 – 2 Revised Laws of Mauritius “Permanent Secretary“ means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; “trial release“ means the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms in confinement into the environment under conditions where the degree of dissemination of the genetically modified organisms is restricted by chemical, physical or built-in barriers which prevent the survival of such organisms outside the confined area; “user“— (a) means a person responsible for the use of genetically modified organisms; and (b) includes an end user or a consumer.