 St. Lucia's tropical climate facilitates a year-round crop growing season and supports continuous generations of both pests and beneficial organisms. With the emergence of pests threatening the production of crops, the Department of Agriculture is now increasing efforts and emphasis on pest control methods not aimed at complete eradication but rather at maintaining pest populations below economic thresholds. This year's observance focused attention on building awareness on the importance of pest control to protect food, human health and the environment. In highlighting the importance of persons being knowledgeable about the current pests, which may affect the agriculture industry in St. Lucia, Chief Plant Research Officer at the Plant Research and Development Division, Hannah Romain, notes that her division has been able to keep pests and diseases such as the black-seeker toka and moco disease at Bay. Over the years we have been sharing few pests that are not present in St. Lucia but our major concern to us. One is the banana fusarium oxysporum hubensae which we call it TR4. It's not present in St. Lucia, it's looming on the horizon. Currently it's in Colombia, it has moved to Peru and of course we understand how our banana industry, how sensitive it can be and at present we are putting all measures in place to ensure that we keep this one out of St. Lucia. Pest management is very costly and over the years what we have come to realize is that the pests when they do come in there's no control, eradication is just not possible so we are urging the public to be aware of the pests that move on commodities. Miss Romain notes that her department's initiatives to both control invasive species and to augment public awareness of pest control methods are in keeping with the Department of Agriculture's overall goal to increase food safety. Activities such as the Don't Pack a Pest campaign have provided a platform to raise awareness about the dangers of transporting food and agricultural commodities across the region. She states that the Department of Agriculture will continue to provide support to farmers across St. Lucia with effective pest control solutions to help prevent the risk of crop loss. Our farmers are the primary producers they ensure that they provide the food that we have on our tables and whatever activities that they are engaged in on the farm is critical for our health tomorrow. Now just note that we've now understanding that to access foreign markets you need to be able to meet the residual limits for example in terms of pesticide residues that you need to be able to meet residual limits for the for your country of export. Thankfully the ministry the government of St. Lucia has had seen the need to put this in place now we are able to tap into foreign markets and we are now able to conduct tests to ensure that the foods that we are exporting meet the requirements of the export market. The public is reminded that permission must be granted from the Plant Research and Development Division before any plant materials are brought into the country. Individuals interested in bringing in new plant commodities and agricultural inputs such as crops, flowers and fertilizers must first visit the Plant Research and Development Division for a pest risk analysis. Once completed and accepted a plant import permit will be issued to the applicant allowing the importation of that commodity. From the communications unit of the Ministry of Agriculture I am Anicia Antoine reporting.