By Sheria Brathwaite
More Barbadians are being charged under the Health Services Act as the Ministry of Health cracks down on delinquent property owners.
In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Ronald Chapman said the no-nonsense approach that was implemented following a surge in dengue cases and rodent sightings was bearing fruit. He said a Durants, Christ Church resident was the latest person to feel the full weight of the law for breaching the Act.
Chapman reported that Richard Sealy of No.18 Durants, Christ Church, who had been issued a warning notice on September 8, 2023, appeared in the Oistins Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
“He was found guilty of having a derelict vehicle on his property, overgrown vegetation and numerous containers liable to breed mosquitoes. The land the stuff was on was at No. 19 Warners Gardens in Christ Church. Mr Sealy was fined $2 000 and he was given two months to pay or he would be convicted for five months in prison. The magistrate also held that if he does not clean up the area he would be charged $100 per day, while the nuisance exists,” he told Barbados TODAY.
“This is a significant win for the Ministry of Health and for Barbados and there are a number of other persons that were charged. Some went ahead and cleaned their properties and those cases were withdrawn, as the ministry’s objective is just to have the areas cleaned to reduce the environmental health risks. But if persons are not compliant, they will face the law court. We had about 12 cases before the court and we have about two or three to put before the court now.”
Chapman said the fact that there were multiple delinquent property owners charged with the same offences, was an indication that Barbadians did not take environmental health seriously.
Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Ronald Chapman.
“Some Barbadians are not taking this [Health Services Act] seriously. Some of them are only taking it seriously when they are summoned to the law court. So we are doing our job. People can make a complaint at the Branford Taitt Polyclinic and report any matter they think is in breach of the Act and we will investigate it,” Chapman said, adding that the Ministry of Health would continue its efforts to protect the public from contracting dengue and hemorrhagic fever.
Over the past several months, there have been numerous complaints by residents from various districts across the island about unkempt properties and derelict vehicles, many of which have been reported in the media.
On Wednesday, a Barbados TODAY team visited Burton Road, St Stephen’s Hill, Black Rock, St Michael after being tipped off that a resident in the cul-de-sac was creating a roadblock by harbouring old large appliances along the road.
The team observed several aged washing machines and fridges along both sides of the road. There were also portable cement mixers and a derelict vehicle. Two large containers and more appliances were also on a small open field adjacent to the cul-de-sac.
“This has been going on for several months. It not only makes it difficult for the residents to drive on the already narrow road, but it is also a nuisance,” one resident said, with others concurring. “We complained about it before and the person responsible for the stuff moved it. Last year we highlighted it in the media and now quick so again, more stuff back out here.”
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
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