Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to your Association’s first big members’ conference. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the backbone of PMATT. The Board consists of myself the Chairman and directors Mr Joseph Berment-McDowald and Mr. Alexander Hilton, Mr. Victor Goden is an invaluable friend and consultant to the Board and Ms. Elise Farrell and her company “My Virtual Office” provide the administrative services for the association. We’re here today to tell you about all the projects and plans we’ve been working on to create benefits for the members but just as importantly, to get your feedback and ideas because this is really all about you and how PMATT can serve you, the industry and our country. We hope that you’ll find today’s discussions informative and valuable and I urge you all to speak up as it’s your input that will help to guide our decisions and planning.

For over twenty-five years, PMATT has struggled to be recognised because and I quote “you are not representative of the industry” because the members could literally be counted on one hand. Today I am proud to say that we have over eighty members across five classes of membership, which includes over sixty businesses delivering actual pest control services. We at last have a voice that is strong and loud enough, that we can no longer be ignored. Now we can begin to lay the groundwork to be the masters of our industry, to be key contributors in the drafting of the standards, policies and regulations that will govern us, rather than having these things merely thrust upon us for better or for worst. What I’m saying is that PMATT’s strength is its members. Not just in terms of numbers but in terms of your participation in the organisational structure of your association, on its board, working committees, on drafting committees for standards and regulations and so forth. For any organism to be alive, having blood in its veins is not enough. That blood has to be flowing, circulating, carrying the oxygen that gives the organism its life and that’s us, all of us. So I’m asking every single one of you, don’t be just a name on paper, your association needs every single one of you to contribute in any way you can, big or small, all are welcome.

Most of us in this room know all too well the challenges and limitations of being a small business. How many of us for years could not or still can’t access affordable group health insurance because our staff is too small? But here again is an opportunity made possible by being a member of a larger collective. PMATT want to make this benefit available to its members, their employees and families. So first on the agenda is a presentation by Guardian Life on a group health plan that offers the features we were looking for the members.

We will then hear from Victor Goden, whom many of you will know. Mr. Goden has two decades of experience in our industry as the sales manager locally, for a global giant and was personally instrumental in the early formation of PMATT. In fact, our motto – ‘Serving people …Preserving the Environment’, was his idea, and even though he is no longer directly involved in pest management, we are lucky to have Mr. Goden as one of our Honorary Members and a loyal consultant.

Then we will hear from Shawn Kirk from the Insect Vector Control Unit of the Ministry of Health. Mr Kirk will tell you a little about himself and say a few words on the collaboration between PMATT and the IVCD.

PROVAR, one of our allied members, will make a brief product presentation.

Earlier this year, we wrote to the Bureau of Standard to once again affirm our interest in collaborating in the development of standards, wherever they either impacted upon or may be influenced by pest management. The Bureau’s Director acknowledged and has invited us to take part in several important standards projects, which I mentioned in my last newsletter to you.

We will have a presentation by Paradox Studios to speak to you about social media marketing.

A day with members in mind, and we look forward to your input and feedback.