Mosquitoes forcing NA shops to close up early
Stabroek News
November 26, 2002
The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association says it is not bandits causing New Amsterdam business owners to shut up shop early but swarms of mosquitoes descending on the town.
The Association has put out a statement lamenting the recent increase in mosquitoes in the town and is calling on the Ministry of Health to do something about it. The statement said when similar occurrences took place a few weeks ago, the minister arranged to have members of the Vector Control Unit from Georgetown carry out a spraying exercise which provided some relief to the residents and patients in the Public and Psychiatric Hospitals. “It is clear to the members of the Chamber, however, that apart from the health hazards involved, much more needs to be done by the ministry to alleviate this recurring problem which can be a disincentive for the business places which have to close their doors prematurely when the mosquitoes are present.”
The Mayor and Town Council did make some effort to control the mosquito nuisance some weeks ago by fogging with malathion, but because of the high cost associated with acquiring this insecticide, this could not be continued, the statement said. Efforts by Stabroek News to get a comment from the Health Ministry were not successful.
The business community is calling on the Ministry of Health to have a vector control unit stationed at New Amsterdam to effectively combat the mosquito nuisance, the statement added.
