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Acting Deputy General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), Dwayne Paul (second right) addressing the media while workers in the sugar industry listen after a meeting between that Union and sugar workers at Solidarity House yesterday.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

Cow itch problem likely to continue

The problem that schools and residents in certain areas across the island are having with cow itch would more than likely continue to rear its ugly head unless clear steps are taken to address how it can be eradicated.

This is coming from the Acting Deputy General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), Dwayne Paul who spoke to the media after a meeting between that Union and sugar workers at Solidarity House yesterday.

In fact, there is a possibility that the entire sugar industry and other crops as well can become inundated with this poisonous plant because of insufficient initiatives being put in place that address health concerns of the workers and others involved.

“We have heard people complaining about cow itch in schools. The entire sugar industry is going to be inundated with cow itch this crop because of the poor health practices engaged in during the year. So all of the fields, whether they are in canes or in non-sugar agriculture are infested with cow itch. But there is no programme in place to seriously address cow itch.”

This would only get worse when it is time for the crop to be cut because then the problem becomes airborne and as a result, spreads wider.

“So you are going to get more cow itch because when the crop starts to cut, it is going to be airborne and the different harvesters enter the field. So I can’t promise the school children or the citizens of Barbados that they are going to get away from it anytime soon because we are not addressing the problem in any meaningful way and our workers are going to have a problem with it this year again,” he lamented.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Ministry of Agriculture put in place initiatives to look into this matter such as an incentive programme for farmers to get rid of it and this is something that must be done when the plants are still in their most vulnerable state, said the Acting Deputy General Secretary.

“We are calling on the Ministry of Agriculture, the independents or whoever to put a proper programme in place to eradicate the cow itch. Cow itch is best treated green not when it is ripe. Let us have an incentive programme to encourage these workers to go out and eradicate the cow itch while it is in its most vulnerable state which is green. We put a programme in place to eradicate snails, why can’t we put a programme in place to eradicate cow itch?”

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