Roadtown, Tortola - The Department of Information and Public Relations in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour and the Department of Agriculture invites the public to tune into tonight’s Public Eye programme where the discussion will focus on Pesticides Awareness Week.

The Public Eye programme has been organised as part of the Department of Agriculture’s public education efforts to inform persons in the farming community and the wider public on the nature of pesticides, their environmental impacts and effects, and the need for improved pesticide management in the Territory.

Pesticides Awareness Week will be observed in the Territory from September 27 until October 3 and the Department of Agriculture has planned a week long fanfare of activities to aid in the public’s understanding of pesticides.

Panellists on tonight’s Public Eye will include Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer in the Department of Agriculture Mrs. Arona Fahie-Forbes, Acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer Mr. Kelvin Penn and Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Mr. Horace Henry.

The public is invited to participate in the interactive call-in programme by telephoning 468-2355 between 7 and 8 p.m. tonight as they listen to the live broadcast on ZBVI Radio 780 AM or as they view it on www.bviwebtv.com.

Through Pesticides Awareness Week, the Department of Agriculture aims to provide a holistic approach to the management of plant protection and the importance of the safe-handling pesticides in safeguarding the agricultural sector as a whole.