Officers unload water tanks for spraying before
transported within Gizo Town area.

GIZO Bio-Security officer have called on ship operators in the country to have their vessels checked thoroughly for agricultural pests before dispatching them to the provinces.

Mathew Sakiri of Gizo Bio-Security made the call after they found a huge number of Giant African snail stowaways onboard a vessel docked at the Gizo wharf yesterday.

Yesterday’s finding is the second time a huge haul of the pest was found in the capital.

“Cargo ships must complete their checking at the Honiara quarantine before dispatching any cargos, machines and building materials to Western provinces is vital.

“This is to ensure that we contain the spread of the snail in Western Province.

“Shipping owners and people need to check any materials by quarantine officers in Honiara before sending it to Western province in order to avoid the snails reaching other Islands here in the province.

“Those who transport things like machineries, iron materials, soil, and plants from Honiara to Gizo to allow quarantine officers to check them before dispatching them to Western Province.”