| |
Contact:
Claudia Monlouis
 Tuesday, January 06, 2004 – “The Prevention and Management of
Agricultural Pesticide Related Illness Project” is one of the many key venture
which will continue making inroads this year. The project involves technical
co-operation between St. Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and Guadeloupe; and is
administered through the Occupational Health and Safety Department of the
Ministry of Labour Relations, Public Service and Cooperatives.
Senior Occupational Health and Safety Officer Lesmond Magloire says the project
centres on the critical need for monitoring of toxic chemicals and its residual
impact on the environment, biology and human health.
“I should be expecting a visit from professionals in Martinique between February
the 9th and 21st. By that time we in Saint Lucia would have carried out a survey
and pesticides inventory and would have determined what pesticides we would need
help and assistance, to either to remove or to minimize.”
The project which is being facilitated through the Pan American Health
Organization and the Caribbean Health Institute also aims to establish water
quality monitoring for pesticides residue.
St. Lucia imported 202,399 kilograms of solid pesticides and over 300,000 litres
of chemicals between June 1998 and May 1999. Over a similar period for 1999 –
2000, these figures increase to 1,294,267 and 434,130 respectively. The vast
majority of those imports consisted of insecticides, herbicides, and
nematicides, with an estimated 80% intended for the banana industry.
|
