Residents of Lammings, St. Joseph, and its environs, are being invited to a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development?s control programme for the Giant African Snail, this Friday, May 30, at 7:00 p.m. at the St. Bernard?s Primary School.

According to Entomologist, Brett Taylor, the meeting is also aimed at soliciting residents? support for the proposed snail collection exercise in their area, which is slated to take place at 3:00 a.m. the following morning. The assembly point for the snail hunt is also St. Bernard?s.

The community snail hunts, as they are called, are part of a comprehensive effort being staged by the Ministry, in collaboration with District Emergency Organisations and other partners, to rid the island of the Giant African Snail.

Residents of Lammings are being encouraged to come out in their numbers to assist in ridding the island of this dangerous pest.

Participants are also reminded to walk with their gloves, boots, raincoats, buckets with covers and torchlights, among other requirements.

?We will be collecting snails again and burning them. In fact, we will be setting up incinerators in these areas, so that they can be immediately destroyed,? Mr. Taylor said.

In an effort to further curb the spread of this pest, the Ministry has also designated a snail team, whose function is to conduct daily investigations and baitings in districts across the island.

The next snail collection exercise is slated to take place on Saturday, May 31. Residents of Lammings and the environs are asked to assemble at the St. Bernard?s Primary School at 3:00 a.m. for the event.

The community snail hunts, as they are called, are part of a comprehensive effort being staged by the Ministry, in collaboration with District Emergency Organisations and other partners, to rid the island of the Giant African Snail.

Lammings residents are being encouraged to come out in their numbers to assist in ridding the island of this dangerous pest.

?We will be collecting snails again and burning them. In fact, we will be setting up incinerators in these areas so that they can be immediately destroyed,? Mr. Taylor said.

In an effort to further curb the spread of this deadly pest, the Ministry has also designated a snail team, whose function is to conduct daily investigations and baitings in districts across the island.

Other districts throughout the island will be targetted as the national eradication campaign continues.