The dry season is at its peak – last month, we had 1.2 mm rain. The 30-year average is 33.9 mm. In addition to the stresses this imposes on agriculture and NAWASA, and the risk of fire, this exposes the littering habits of so many of our citizens.
As Solid Waste mentioned in a recent broadcast, the garbage, at peak visibility because of the lack of vegetation, is blocking drains which will be essential once the rain returns; and it poses a fire risk.
The Pure Grenada Music Festival has just ended. The festival organisers were scrupulous about litter collection at events – a shining example that we heartily wish that the organisers of ALL events would copy. But visitors to the festival, including those from abroad, could not fail to notice the contrast between the care that the Festival took to ‘leave the venue as they would wish to find it’, and the roadsides island-wide.
Beyond the hazards above, the ubiquitous plastic cups and Styrofoam food containers that line our roadsides and fill our drains are an open invitation to the mosquitoes once the rain returns. Mosquito eggs can survive the dry season – they remain ‘active’ for at least 14 months. Dengue, Zika and now Yellow Fever are waiting in the wings for mosquitoes to spread them.
Why are there some among us who are actively promoting sickness, and actively sabotaging our tourism product? We need to stop being tolerant of the public desecration.
If you get Zika, thank a litterer.
Grenada Green Group
