CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):
ST LUCIA banana authorities say they are taking measures to prevent the deadly Black Sigatoka diseases from affecting the banana industry on the island.
Banana officials say the Black Sigatoka, a wind-blown virus, has been identified in Grenada. Originally believed to be restricted to Latin America, the disease has shown up in Puerto Rico and in 2004 made its appearance in Trinidad and Tobago.
"This means that the disease is on its way up from Trinidad into Grenada and no sooner it will be headed to the rest of the Windward Islands," said Hilary La Force, the managing director of the Banana Emergency Recovery Unit (BERU).
"The fact that the disease is in Jamaica and as close as Puerto Rico, and initially we were like a sandwich between Trinidad and the islands up north, now the disease appears to be climbing and it's only a matter of time before it gets to our country," he said.
La Force said as a result the BERU is taking a pro-active stand to ensure that if the worse happens and the disease puts in an appearance here, it can be dealt with early, otherwise the vital banana industry will be in serious trouble.
Bananas represents St. Lucia's second biggest earner of foreign exchange behind tourism.
The local industry has in recent times been confronted by a number of challenges, including threats to its traditional preferential markets in Europe.
"A brush with the Black Sigatoka disease is the last thing the industry needs at this time," La Force said.
CMC/es/pr/06
