Just about 10 days after Minister Otway–Noel’s massive cleanup of the South St. George constituency, we had heavy rain. 36.7 mm was measured at the airport. Not surprisingly, any loose debris was washed along the gulleys and ditches to the lowest point, i.e. the drain. There shouldn’t have been any debris so soon after a cleanup, should there?
Here is a picture of just one drain. Nothing unusual, maybe you can see this a hundred times as you go around the island. But every time it’s an invitation to the zika-bearing mosquitoes. They only need a tablespoon of water to breed.
It’s not clear why people want to inflict a disease whose complications are well-known upon themselves and their fellow citizens, and make Grenada a tourist destination to avoid.
It IS clear that nearly everyone is comfortable with litter, and we have got into a routine of dropping it and picking it up. At what stage would people think the litter level had become intolerable?
Litter is not ‘visible’ until the drains are blocked and the place floods, or hundreds go down with mosquito-borne diseases. But given that it takes less than 2 weeks for mosquitoes to breed, and pick-ups and debushing cannot take place with greater frequency than at present, (and why should it?) — can we not take a bit of care and look after our own health?
Pick-ups are not the answer. Prevention is hugely better than cure. Litterers must be hit in the pocket.
Grenada Green Group
