Anyone who's been to Chetumal or Melchor should know about OIRSA, the Regional International Organization for Plant Protection and Animal Health. They're the folks who spray insecticide under your car at the border. It may seem to be more of a nuisance than anything to casual travellers, but the work they do is critical to containing insect born agricultural infection - which saves this country from millions in economic losses. And now, they've got a new hi-tech operation at the Western Border.
The new system was inaugurated today and it is said to be one of the most modern in the region. It's called a spray arc and it is valued at $100,000. It does the job that used to be done manually as cars and trucks pass through a tunnel where the vehicles are sprayed from all angles. And while it's notable news in agriculture, it's big news in diplomacy because the facility is bi-national, respected by both nations at their mutually acknowledged borders.
