National-Clean Up Project to Target Areas Prone to Vector-Borne Diseases

Areas that are prone to vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, will be specially targeted during the national clean-up exercise from September 29 to 30.
“We have just been taken off the malaria watch list by the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, so we do not want to go back on it and we are making sure this is a part of the national thrust,” said Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Christopher Powell.
He was speaking at the weekly JIS Think Tank held at the agency’s head office on Half-Way-Tree Road in Kingston on (September 26). Mr. Powell explained that the focus on these areas came out of recent meeting with representatives from the Social Development Commission (SDC) and Mayor of May Pen, Councillor Milton Brown.
“Namely, we are going to be concentrating on the inner city areas, downtown areas, Old Harbour Bay, South Clarendon, which takes in Mitchell Town, Portland Cottage, Rocky Point et al.East Portland, Manchioneal, Happy Grove and along that area. and some parts of the south coast such as Alligator Pond, some areas of Treasure Beach and Gut River,” he informed.
In the meantime, Mr. Powell said that public and private sector entities such as Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and National Commercial Bank, have volunteered staff to work on the designated days. “They want us to identify respective areas where their staff may go on work, so we are working on that,” Mr. Powell noted.
He noted that proper security will be provided for those who volunteer their services. The National Clean-up project was announced by Prime Minister, Bruce Golding at his inauguration on September 11, and is part of the recovery response, following the passage of Hurricane Dean on August 19.