Persons are being urged to be cautious when eliminating the Giant African snail which was officially declared a pest here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines earlier this month.
This word of caution came from Minister of Transport & Works Montgomery Daniel, who was at the time Acting Prime Minister, who warned of the effects the snail can have when direct contact with skin takes place.
“In terms of the management and the elimination of the giant African snail, that you have to be careful that your touch with your fingers can result in some problems for you, in terms of your own health and we ask that you continue to once you identify the presence of the pest in any area, that you call in the ministry of agriculture to help you in the catching of this pest,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture in an official release advised anyone that encounters the Giant African snail to:
Report any suspicious sightings to the Ministry of Agriculture immediately, Avoid direct contact with the snail. Use gloves/plastic bag when handling the snail and place a sample in a sealed container, Do not crush live snails: Destroy snails by placing in a salt water solution.
