News

Various awareness campaigns done to address termite issue

May 17, 2018 1:27 am

Numerous awareness campaigns have been carried out to monitor and control the Asian Subterranean Termite in declared emergency areas such as Lautoka and Labasa, including high risk areas.

Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji Pine Limited now uses certain methods of harvesting and treating timber to reduce its vulnerability to these termites.

Sayed-Khaiyum also highlighted today in Parliament that the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji has taken the lead on the issue and has been working progressively to deal with it.

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”We’ve had a number of news articles, television advertisements, radio advertisements, radio talk back shows and awareness through visitations. Been to villagers, schools, business houses, island resorts. There’s also been mobile awareness that’s been created by BAF where they literally just go around using a hailer to advise residents the do’s and don’ts of the AST.”

He says a number of methods have been adopted by those living in the affected areas.

Among them, one such method is that people in the vulnerable areas usually switch off their lights at night and light fires outside to attract the termites which in turn are incinerated.