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Last Updated: Sep 25, 2020 - 8:30:10 AM |
Minister Ferreira gives his report; PS David Cates is in the background. (BIS Photo/Ulric Woodside)
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Nassau, The Bahamas – While making his Report to the nation on COVID-19 Initiatives of his Ministry, on September 24, 2020, Minister of the Environment and Housing the Hon. Romauld Ferreira said that, during the initial month of lockdown, the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) conducted daily washing and disinfection of building exteriors, streets and sidewalks.
“Disinfection solution was provided gratis by Blanco chemicals limited,” Minister Ferreira said. “This activity targeted places where there were large gatherings and included food stores, and banks.”
The Department of Environmental Health Services also conducted disinfections using aerosolized virucide in all areas of New Providence, he added.
Minister Ferreira said that the Department was also responsible for deep cleaning and disinfection of a number of government offices.
“A total of 46 deep cleaning and disinfection exercises have been conducted,” he said. “These include properties in New Providence and the Family Islands.”
In terms of education and training, Minister Ferreira said that the DEHS produced a guidance document for cleaning and disinfection for use of government agencies. Additionally, he noted, the DEHS conducted training sessions for custodial staff of schools, private companies, government agencies and cleaning companies.
“In total 64 cleaning companies, 18 government agencies nine schools and five private companies received the training,” he said. “Government agencies trained included the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of the Public Service, and the Ministry of Works.”
Minister Ferreira noted that the DEHS also collaborated with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education on guidance documents for the reopening of offices and schools. The DEHS, he added, had been mandated to ensure effective implementation of the preschool COVID-19 mitigation/prevention checklist.
“The Department of Environmental Health provided technical input and is the executing and enforcement agency for the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 workplace guidelines,” he said. “The Department has required that business license applicants demonstrate compliance to these workplace guidelines, as a prerequisite to DEHS approval.”
In terms of waste collection, Minister Ferreira pointed out that the DEHS staff maintained its monitoring activities of the 63 residential collection zones during the period of lockdown. The DEHS contractors responsible for residential waste collection maintained the twice per week collection remarkably well, albeit some delays in collection were experienced, he noted.
“The DEHS staff collected waste from the quarantine facilities daily,” he said. “DEHS staff also monitored the receipt of banned plastics at the waste disposal facility. Three thousand one hundred and one cases of banned plastic products were received and dealt with.”
While speaking on the topic of vector control, Minister Ferreira said that ground fogging activities for the control of the adult mosquito were conducted in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Exuma, Inagua, Andros, Crooked Island, Abaco, Mayaguana and New Providence.
Larvaciding of standing water and ponds was conducted throughout New Providence in July and August, using liquid Abate and Altosid briquettes, he added.
“Remote training of vector control staff on the Family Islands was carried out during July and August,” Minister Ferriera said. “The training was specifically related to the ULV (ultra low volume) equipment utilized in ground fogging.”
The DEHS continued its monitoring of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito patterns in Adelaide, Mount Pleasant and Misty Gardens, as part of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) project with the International Atomic Energy Agency, he added.
“The DEHS continued work at Arawak Cay and Junkanoo Beach, with respect to rodent control,” Minister Ferreira noted. “The DEHS conducted five rodent treatments as a result of complaints received. The rodenticide distribution program was fully maintained during the period of the lockdown.”
Turning to the cane toad project, Minister Ferreira pointed out that, from June 19th through July 21, 2020, staff of the DEHS, in conjunction with the Environmental Planning and Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, and the Bahamas National Trust, conducted a cane toad assessment and removal exercise in the western area of New Providence.
“A total of 392 toads were extracted and euthanized,” he reported.
As far as port health was concerned, Minister Ferreira pointed out that the unit maintained a half-day work schedule to ensure that duties related to ship sanitation, condemnations and meat inspection were conducted. Five ship sanitation inspections and six condemnations were conducted. Inspections of imported meats were conducted daily, he said.
Turning to the topic of derelict vehicles, Minister Ferreira noted that a total 667 vehicles were identified for removal from private and public spaces, and 645 were removed. The remaining 23 vehicles require further action -- court submission or extension granted – he said.
“You can rest assured that the Prosecutions Unit is moving them forward,” he said.
Removals were made from Centreville, St. Barnabas, Nassau Village, Fort Charlotte, South Beach, Anne’s Town, Carmichael, Killarney, and Englerston, Minister Ferreira said.
“In terms of complaints, a total of 227 complaints were received 106 were investigated and 104 public health orders were served,” he pointed out.
In relation to building control, Minister Ferreira said that a total of 359 applications were received during the period. 370 were approved and 43 returned with queries.
“Seventy-two requests were received for occupancy certificates. All were for approved,” he stated. “Twenty-seven requests were made for hurricane shelter inspection. Twenty-two were inspected and 21 were approved.”
During the lockdown, Minister Ferreira said that the DEHS accounts area remained functional; but some staff were equipped to work remotely. The staff in Human Resources continued to work on the file audit, he added.
The DEHS also carried out cleaning and maintenance of clinic grounds in New Providence; South Beach (inclusive of Post Office compound), Adelaide, Gambier, Flamingo Gardens, Elizabeth Estates (with the assistance of Beaches and Parks Authority) and Anne’s Town, he said.
“The first phase of the Enviro App is completed, and this will allow the public to electronically forward complaints in relation to the Department of Environmental Health Services by virtue of downloading the app on their phone,” Minister Ferreira noted. “More particularly, complaints in relation to derelict vehicles, garbage collection, littering and, of course other environmental infractions, will be able to be conducted through the convenience of a phone app that they can download.
“We intend to have this available for widespread use before the end of the year”.
© Copyright 2020 by thebahamasweekly.com
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