View the full post Caribbean food security improves yet challenges persist on NOW Grenada.

“The fogging operation is in response to complaints of mosquito infestation in those areas”

View the full post Vector Control Division: Fogging Schedule on NOW Grenada.

“The situation is very, very serious, and we need to take heed and do all that’s necessary to prevent a major outbreak”

View the full post Dengue outbreak in Grenada – 8 hospitalised on NOW Grenada.

“All the experts are singing from the same playbook, thus as individuals we need to act to protect the natural environment and our human health”

View the full post Garbage in, Garbage out on NOW Grenada.

The Guyana government has banned the use of chemicals to clean drainage calls across the country, after concerns were raised by residents of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara. After the concern was raised raised by a resident during a ministerial outreach led by Prime Minister Mark Phillips, the Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha made government’s position ...

Local officials are calling on Barbadians to use the state-issued roll-out garbage cart and recycling bins correctly especially in light of a reported increase in the rat problem on the island.

Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Ronald Chapman told Barbados TODAY that ministry officials were very concerned with the way some Barbadians were using the new collection carts, which are part of the Residential Waste Collection Improvement Project. 

“What we have been finding is that persons have been keeping the bins at their premises and continuing to put the garbage next to the street and at the curb. This has been causing us a spot of bother, because those bins are constructed in such a way, that they do not allow for rodents to get in, [and] they are hard enough that the rodents can not gnaw through them.

“When persons continue to use the old plastic bins, the 65 gallon drums with the holes at the bottom, or continue to put the garbage next to the road, then they provide sufficient food for the rodents because now the feral chickens pick it out, the dogs pull it out, and the rats have a feast,” Chapman said.   

Though communities around the island have access to these new bins, Chapman charged that some residents were refusing to use them for garbage-collecting purposes, and even went as far as just dumping their refuse on the sides of roads, in the hope that it would be collected by the SSA.

“Don’t put the garbage next to the road anymore because the [SSA workers] are not collecting it. It’s just going to sit there next to the road and cause us lots and lots of problems and it makes no sense having these state-of-the-art garbage bins tucked away in your backyard, and then the garbage next to the road, where you have to pass to get into your home.”

He stressed: “This is an issue that is contributing to the number of rodents that we are having here on the island, it is contributing to the fly breeding as well. You get a state-of-the-art bin, use it for what it was intended for, that is to store your refuse until the Sanitation Service Authority can pass and collect it.”

Chapman noted, that while some older members of the society may have difficulty moving the bins from their residences to the corner in areas where SSA trucks cannot easily access, they can leave the bins at the corner where the refuse would be collected. 

“We encourage persons like that to leave the bin at the corner, nobody is going to steal it, everybody has bins. I think some people when they got the bins, they treat them like they are too good for garbage… they are there to put refuse in, and put it in such a way that restricts flies, rodents and other vermin and stops the fowls and dogs from getting to the garbage.

Public Relations Officer with the SSA Carl Padmore, supported Chapman’s comments appealing for a more considerate disposal of garbage.

“We want Barbadians to treat to waste in a decent and sensible manner,” he said. (SB)

The post Concerns over use of bins appeared first on Barbados Today.

By Sheria Brathwaite

The Black Rock, St Michael resident at the centre of the environmental issue affecting St Stephen’s Nursery School says she was shocked that a problem with odour from her chicken pens was not brought to her attention by the school’s administration before it became a national issue.

On Monday, the 60-year-old woman who did not want to be identified, told Barbados TODAY that she had no idea her chicken coop was affecting the school, which is an arm’s length away from her family home. She said she is somewhat puzzled about the turn of events that threw the matter onto the national stage.

Particularly troubling for her, was that her family has had a long-standing relationship with the school and they always did anything they could for the wellbeing of the students and staff.

She questioned why school officials did not contact her about the problem first before it was escalated.

“The scent was unknown to us and nobody ever came to me and tell me about the chicken pens. Nobody came here and had a talk with me. I didn’t even know it was in the paper till somebody phone and tell me,” she said. “It made me feel very bad and shocked. I have a lot going on right now. I have to bury my aunt Wednesday and my uncle died four months ago and now this here. It is torture, it is hell, but my God, My Redeemer lives.”

The woman said that management at the school had contacted her prior about an overhanging mango tree that was causing a mess on the school’s compound and she believes that the same way she was contacted about the fruit free, the odour from her pens could have been brought to her attention.

“In January when the headmistress wanted the mango tree cut down she came and holler for my name. So if she knew she could smell chickens, before it blew up like this, she could have come here the same way she came here before and call me, but she said nothing. She had a right to come to me and tell me instead of making it a whole issue.

“If she could come to me in January that means we were corresponding. She has called me on my phone too, on my landline, so she has my number. So why now, she couldn’t contact me? 

“It didn’t have to escalate to this. They treated me like I am a damn criminal. If she had tell me she was smelling something I would come and rectify the odour.

“. . .Then when I heard they had the children at the church, that they had their lunch in the yard and had to walk through the graveyard to get to the washroom, I thought that was more unsanitary than what they say I was doing to them.”

The environmental problem affecting the school was first raised on Monday March 13 when the school closed early and two days later, parents were given the option to collect their children from the facility though it remained open. The school was closed again on Friday March 17 and the Ministry of Education gave the assurance that the issue would have been rectified but the following Monday the school was closed again.

The next day students were relocated at the neighbouring St Stephen’s Anglican Church but that was later removed as an option after teachers and parents complained that the environment was not conducive to learning.

The ministry then closed the school for the remaining week and made provisions for online classes on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell said that things went relatively smoothly as the students returned to the classroom on Monday.

“From all accounts things went well today. The staff is comfortable and the students are comfortable and we are thankful that it appears as if the issue has been resolved at least for the time being,” he said.

Meanwhile, the neighbour said that a health inspector told her she had to get rid of the birds and she did so at a loss to her.

Though she preferred not to go into detail about the situation she said she had been rearing broilers and layers for about a year. 

“I had to get rid of them before their time so I incurred losses,” she said about the last set of birds.

The woman’s 79-year-old mother, who also did not want to be identified, said that she was responsible for erecting the gate at the back entrance of the school as the school abuts and abounds her property. She added that when staff at the school needed supplies they would shout for her.

“When the water was off and they didn’t have water to wash up the wares I put my hose through the fence so the school meals workers could wash up. If they want anything they come here. If they want a shovel, they come here, if they want a broom they come here. 

This was going on for years,” she said.

Asked if any contact was made to the neighbour before the situation escalated, Lovell said: “That is not an issue that the union can speak on. All we can say is that concerns were brought to our attention by our members who teach at the school and we then brought those concerns to the Ministry of Education who then contacted the Ministry of Health.” 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

The post Woman didn’t know her chicken coop was affecting the nearby nursery school appeared first on Barbados Today.

Some air traffic controllers at Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) have complained of varying health challenges which they blame on environmental issues associated with the tower.

Their bargaining agent – the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is closely monitoring the situation as airport management takes steps to have the problem fixed.

Deputy General Secretary of the NUPW Wayne Walrond disclosed on Monday that management was in the process of hiring an expert to tackle any air quality issues in the control tower.

“I understand that staff at the Air Traffic Control tower have raised concerns with management about the air quality within that tower,” Walrond told Barbados TODAY.

“All I could say right now is that management is looking to procure the services of someone to have that assessment done. But we know Government’s procurement process and red tape…They are looking to have an independent and professional assessment on it to determine the next course of action. That’s all I can say about that development,” he added.

However, Walrond disclosed that the environmental problem had forced some staff to stay away from work on several occasions.

“It is my understanding that some people have been impacted in various ways [including] respiratory problems and some have had to take leave from time to time,” Walrond explained. Meanwhile, an industrial dispute between air traffic controllers and the government is nearing a resolution.

On Friday, the union announced that the standoff over the upgrade and appointment of air traffic control cadets as air traffic control officers grade 2, is anticipated to end by this Friday.

“This matter would have caused some unrest among the workers, and the union was mandated to ensure that it continued to vigorously pursue this matter. We are pleased to announce that in communication with the Ministry of the Public Service, they informed us of the progress made thus far,” said Walrond in an audio statement to Barbados TODAY.

“The matter is now to go before the Cabinet and we look forward to having it concluded by March 31,” he stated.

The union executive official recalled meeting on March 11 with the air traffic control officers to update them on the appointment and upgrade of the 25 cadets.

The air traffic control tower has direct responsibility for managing, handling, takeoffs, and all movement within the airport terminal control area. (EJ)

The post Airport tower a concern for employees appeared first on Barbados Today.

The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) is reporting an increase in the illegal use of its facilities by people burning materials to get copper in order to cash in on the growing trade in that metal.
At a media briefing on Friday, public relations officer (PRO) Carl Alff Padmore said the use of the Mangrove, St Thomas landfill for that purpose was extremely dangerous and put residents in the nearby communities at serious risk.
“The landfill area is dry because, naturally, we are not getting any rain. Why is that a problem for us? We have persons who are trespassing on the compound and they are creating a nuisance because what they are doing is burning copper. There is a trade for copper in Barbados [and so] they are trying to get the rubber off of the copper,” he complained, explaining that these fires were happening in an area near the old Central Cricket Club pavilion.
Saying that no permission had been granted by either the SSA or the Barbados Fire Service to start these fires, Padmore warned: “A simple flame can ignite the grass around the landfill and once the landfill catches, we know it will cause serious strain on our resources because we have to get crews to out it; it will cause strain on the fire service because they will have to deploy trucks; and environmental officers from the Ministry of Health would have to come and do air quality testing.”
“So one simple act . . . has the potential to be a nuisance at a bigger scale,” he added, noting that residents living downwind, in areas such as Arch Hall, Bennetts and Bucks, would be impacted if a fire started at the landfill.
The SSA spokesperson said the culprits tend to start the fires early in the morning and while some people had been spotted leaving the dump, no one had been caught.
He reminded that anyone found engaging in the illegal practice could be slapped with a fine of $5 000 or be jailed for creating a public nuisance.
During the briefing, Padmore also reminded Barbadians not to commingle old mattresses they take to the dump with other waste.
He said there was a programme in place for the SSA to dispose of those kinds of items which come from households, businesses such as nursing homes, and government facilities like the Geriatric Hospital.
Padmore said the SSA would engage in a controlled burn and those were the only fires that were conducted and considered safe at the Mangrove Landfill.
(SZB)

The post Illegal fires at dump worrying SSA appeared first on Barbados Today.

By Anesta Henry

Cow-itch vines growing on empty lots have been creating major headaches for some schools across the island and President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell wants landowners to have the offending lots cleared and maintained.

He has complained that cow-itch is becoming a “nuisance” as several schools have been affected already for this school term. One teacher who had a serious allergic reaction, was  ordered by her doctor not to return to the school to which she was assigned.

Lovell charged that some of the offensive lands may even be owned by the State.

“This is a serious matter. The Barbados Union of Teachers is imploring, begging, beseeching, whatever word you want to use, landowners who have lands adjacent to schools that are harbouring cow-itch to clear the lands. This is becoming a nuisance and several schools have been affected. This term alone, Daryl Jordan Secondary, Grantley Adams Secondary, Gordon Greenidge Primary have been affected. 

“Now I am getting complaints from Mount Tabor Primary, I am getting complaints from Blackman and Gollop Primary, from Thelma Berry Nursery, and this is just to name a few,” Lovell said.

He said that the Ministry of Education has been working to address the vexing issue, but admitted that they could only do “so much”.

When contacted, Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Adrian Forde, told Barbados TODAY he would be contacting the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Wellness to investigate the environmental concern being reported by the BUT.

“I would talk to the Minister of Education and find out what the concerns are. I know the Environmental Health offices under the Ministry of Health can also activate certain legislation under the Health Services Regulations as it relates to properties. So it would be a collective effort,” Forde said.

Meanwhile, Lovell said the union believes that landowners have a social responsibility to ensure that their lands do not pose any threat to persons in surrounding areas. The president said this is why the BUT is encouraging landowners who know that their properties are overgrown with bush, to clear the lots.

He said it is unfair to students, teachers and ancillary staff who occupy school plants, to have to be exposed to “this nuisance called cow-itch”.

“And even though we may ask the Ministry of Education to intervene at times, the Ministry of Education can only close the schools. And even after the schools are reopened, in some cases, the lands are not really cleared to the extent that the cow-itch has been totally removed. So we are asking the landowners to do what they are supposed to do by maintaining their properties.

“I know in some cases, schools have been reaching out to the landowners. But the thing is that this is an annual problem. We know that around this time of the year cow-itch grows. Why wait until it impacts or affects the occupants of the schools to then come and clear the fields? Why not be proactive as a landowner and seek to remove the cow-itch from the properties? I received calls on a daily basis with regards to cow-itch, it is a total nuisance,” Lovell said.

The BUT president also indicated that he has been getting multiple complaints from teachers that they have been experiencing allergic reactions as a result of the hazard. 

Forde said he agreed 100 per cent with Lovell’s plea, and revealed that the Government was currently working on legislation that would address landowners being forced to either clear their lots or be subjected to penalties if they refuse to do so.

“The school of thought is that landowners who are not complying to have those persons be given a period of time to do the remedial work.” 

He said if this fails, the Government would do the cleaning and bill the charges to the landowner whether it is through the land tax bill or by some other means. 

“The legislation hasn’t been drafted yet but there are definitely plans to deal with this issue. Really and truly this is not how we should be operating as Barbadians, this is not who we are as a people,” Minister Forde said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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