The news that some persons may be prosecuted for illegal dumping and for breeding of mosquitoes on their premises will probably cause a stir among environmentalists who believe that we must do more to protect this island.
This news came after a tour last week of certain gullies in St Joseph which we are told must be cleaned urgently, since some were polluted by garbage and drainage was blocked in at least one other.
We also hope that the news of impending prosecutions will do more than cause a stir among offenders and potential offenders, who have illegally dumped their garbage, or may be inclined to do so.
For many years, the authorities have been calling upon Barbadians not only to clean up their premises, but also to desist from illegal dumping. The problems associated with these undesirable practices affect all of us, and we cannot be unmindful of the damaging effect which an outbreak of insect borne diseases such as dengue can have on our tourism industry. Yet year after year the problem resurfaces and support for firmer action will now be readily forthcoming.
As Parliamentary Secretary in the Environment Ministry Senator Tyrone Barker declared after the tour, Barbadians should be educated to see the error of their ways, since garbage was not put here (in the gullies) by monkeys or by cows.
The price in terms of human life has been spelt out, as has the connection between clear premises and the breeding of the dengue mosquito.
In 1995, there were three deaths from dengue, but in 1996 when there was a clean-up and 1 860 tonnes of waste was removed from around the island; no deaths were recorded from dengue. This might have been a coincidence, assisted by fewer showers and less deposits of water in which the mosquitoes could breed. However, there is no denying that the fewer places there are for mosquitoes to breed, the less likely we are to suffer loss of life due to dengue fever. Yet some people will persist in their deviant behaviour and the full weight of the rules must therefore be brought into play.