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Rodent infestation, revised legislation major concerns - Report

Environmental Health Division report bemoans lack of collaboration in integral areas
Environmental Health Division revealed that rodent infestation across the Territory remained a concern. Photo: batguys.com
Environmental Health Division office. Photo: VINO/File
Environmental Health Division office. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Rodent infestation remained a growing concern for residents throughout the Territory according to the Environmental Health Division Annual Report of 2010. The Department’s report added that only limited action can be taken by the Division given the scarce resources that were available to it.

The report was laid in the House of Assembly on September 3, 2012.

According to the report, its scarce resources do not afford a well developed and structured programme and would require additional human resources along with financial support.

There was also a continued persistence of noncompliance by many establishments in failing to maintain optimum standards according to the report. This, it indicated, continued to reveal a weakness in enforcing existing legislations.

The existing legislations, the report noted, do not create much incentive to pursue prosecution due to the very low fines they prescribe and the volume of time and energy consumed in getting the case to court.

Meanwhile, the report added, the negligent establishments, continued to pose a serious health risk to patrons or the general public.

A recommendation was made for these laws to have a more efficient and effective system of
Enforcement made available to the Environmental Health Division in order to reverse the worrying trend.

Additionally, the report stressed that under the Institutional Hygiene Programme there is much need for further development and effectiveness through more collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health and Social Development, a noted necessity for the establishment of a partnership.

The value of this would be seen in the planning of health related subjects for incorporation and implementation into the school syllabus at the very early stages (preschool and primary school) of learning and ultimately help to inculcate and foster desirable health practices as a lifestyle in the Territory.

11 Responses to “Rodent infestation, revised legislation major concerns - Report”

  • nasty (25/09/2012, 08:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Too many nasty people throwing their garbage all over the place giving the rats free run of this society
  • wow (25/09/2012, 08:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    All those big ugly dirty bins along the roads throughout the Territory contribute to the increase in the rodent population in the BVI. Added to the fact that they are unsightly you see rats running in and out of them all the time day or night.
  • Scared (25/09/2012, 09:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is a need to have the surroundings cleaned of bush from around residential houses. These creatures lives in the bushes and at night are a menace, they cut through the window screens and get in the houses. It should be mandatory that persons owning land next to residential houses should have the bushes cut down every 6 months. This is one of the things that we have to work on. There are some places in the caribbean that has this law and it is very effective. If the owner don't cut the bush, the Government sends out someone to do it and sends the bill to the owner.
  • Shara Parlin (25/09/2012, 09:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI is filled with all kinds of rats…and I smell a RAT!
  • ausar (25/09/2012, 10:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Populate the islands with cats, DUHHH!!
  • rattie (25/09/2012, 11:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Rats everywhere especially they taking over peoples home.
  • Confucius (25/09/2012, 11:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ausar, feral house cats are prone to parasites, respiratory infections and feline leukemia, which is often fatal. Unless they are inoculated regularly, their usefulness is questionable and their threat to human health has not been quantified.

  • well meh boy (25/09/2012, 12:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    A next problem is the lack of responsiveness by the Environmental Health to infestations of public areas when told about it.
  • Urgh (25/09/2012, 19:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I've been in my current home for 7 years and never saw a rat in my house until recently. Something has definitely gone wrong. The territory is infested and this has to get under control.
  • FULL HOUSE (25/09/2012, 23:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    THE BVI IS FULL OF RAT OF ALL KINDS
  • oops (26/09/2012, 02:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we have 2 cats that are neutered and vaccinated regularly and they take care of any pests before they create an issue.


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