Corporate Barbados, Health Ministry join forces to combat rat problem

Some south coast businesses and the Ministry of Health and Wellness have joined forces to reduce the rodent population from the area that stretches from the Richard Haynes Boardwalk to Oistins, Christ Church.

It is part of the second phase of the Ministry’s Build Them Out, Starve Them Out, Kill Them Out, rat reduction campaign. The partnership will see businesses adopt signs and garbage bins that would encourage members of the public to refrain from littering.

The bins are being placed along the south coast. The campaign also involves correcting the businesses’ garbage disposal methods to help “starve out” the rats.

Senior Environmental Health Officer at the Randal Phillips Polyclinic in Oistins, Trevor Taylor, explained that health officials discovered some deficiencies in the way businesses were storing garbage, which encouraged the proliferation of rats because these businesses became a food source.

“We engaged the business owners along the coast on how they should store garbage appropriately in bins and garbage houses and have it removed at appropriate times. We also found there was a lot of litter around the boardwalk coming from persons using that area,” Taylor stated.

He added: “It is not only about rats but about the outlook for Barbados as a clean destination and protecting the marine environment. I like spearfishing and the amount of litter you find in the sea is amazing. It is not just for businesses to get involved; it is for everybody. Just take your garbage and place it in bins.”

The Senior Environmental Health Officer said one aspect of the campaign, which started in August, last year, is to ‘rat proof’ the garbage bins, which is the “build out” component. However, he pointed out that this was still a work in progress.

Taylor noted that the bins health inspectors are aiming to have placed along the south coast will have a key, so business owners can open and lock the bins, when necessary, to keep out rodents. In the meantime, health inspectors continue to bait along the south coast, the “kill them out” phase of the campaign.

So far, he said two well-known businesses, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pirates Inn, have partnered with the Ministry to combat littering and rodents on the south coast, with a number of hotels expressing an interest in coming on board.

Businesses interested in partnering with the Ministry of Health and Wellness in its rodent reduction campaign may contact Taylor at the Randal Philips Polyclinic at telephone number 536-4314.

SOURCE: BGIS