Rodent control programme launched at Ste Anne jetty |02 August 2017

The Eden Island Village Management Association (VMA) has launched a rodent control programme at St Anne jetty with the aim of raising the awareness of the general public of the dangers of rat infestations in public places. 

As part of this rat control programme, the Eden Island VMA as part of its homeowner and staff outreach programme has installed 12 litter bins at the St Anne Jetty in collaboration with the Roche Caiman community.

The rat control programme in collaboration with PESTEA began on Monday this week and the bins were in place since last Friday to ensure the area is covered with bins before the weekend. 

The rodent control programme, which will run until August 31, is expected to cost the VMA around R50,000, funded by the Eden Island homeowners.

Whenever VMA goes out into the community its staff/homeowners will be wearing one of the white vests so the team can be identified when out in the community

The installation of the covered bins is to help ensure that no leftover food items are left behind by the people visiting the St Anne jetty area as this would defeat the purpose of the rat bait that VMA wants to put in place as part of the programme.

“The St Anne jetty was identified as a high traffic area and being in close proximity to Eden Island we believe starting with our own back yard is the best way to begin with our contribution to the well-being of the Roche Caiman community,” says a VMA spokesperson.

Thanks to LWMA (Land Waste and Management Agency), STAR Seychelles will now include this area for refuse collection in their schedule as these bins are going to serve the public in general. 

“With the many diseases that these pests can help spread we feel it is our duty to act and assist were we can. This follows a request made by President Danny Faure to the Roche Caiman community forum  to see how businesses can work with the  community. We feel that this project will not only benefit Eden Island precinct and the Roche Caiman community but also the public at large since the area is frequented by people from all over Mahé,” adds the spokesperson.

“We will would eventually like to extend the programme to other parts of Victoria but we will need to include more collaborators when we do this,” the spokesperson says.

“VMA believes that going forward, Seychelles should start conducting refuse collection in the night time as well as a strategy to starve and reduce the rodents population especially in Victoria, rats being nocturnal animals,” concludes the spokesperson.

The accompanying photos show highlights of the launch ceremony.