By Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterTHEY ARE everywhere. Since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, swarms of flies have invaded the island and are wreaking havoc on everything in sight.
Residents are complaining that they cannot enjoy a bite without having to share it with a family of 'fat' flies. "Even while I am at lunch I see a lot of them bugging around," said a public health inspector from the Public Health Department.
"They are annoying. They disgust me, something must be done about it quickly," one Spanish Town resident added.
On the other hand, Peter Knight, environmental health director in the Ministry of Health (MOH), begged to differ, as he believes the massive fly attack has waned in some areas. "I am not aware that there is a major fly problem in the Corporate Area. It came to our attention a week or so ago that there was an increase in fly presence, but it is on the decline," he said.
Mr. Knight revealed that the MOH had disbursed funds to the relevant agencies for fly control and the collection, treatment and proper disposal of dead livestock and poultry.
BACKLOG
Both Mr. Knight and the health inspector agreed that the massive fly attack was spawned by the backlog in garbage collection caused by the passage of Hurricane Ivan. "It should be understood (as) sanitation has broken down, which is the cause for the escalation in the number of flies," said the inspector.
He explained that the pile up of garbage from households and markets are breeding grounds for flies. Both Mr. Knight and the health inspector appealed to residents to distinguish between household waste from debris left in the wake of Ivan's fury. "People should separate regular household garbage from the Ivan debris," Mr. Knight pleaded.
As a remedy, the option of spraying the affected areas is readily available to the Public Health Department. However, the health inspector argued that spraying could be reduced to having a band-aid effect, if citizens refuse to properly dispose of their waste. "Whatever garbage they have, it should be bagged and stored properly, as refuse is the major source (of breeding the flies)," he explained.
The inspector also cautioned that flies are more than mere nuisances, as the insects have the capability to aid in spreading illnesses such as gastroenteritis and typhoid. "They (flies) can mechanically transfer the germ after going to unsanitary places (so) it can be a very serious situation."
