St James health official renews alarm over filthy People's Arcade
Published:Tuesday | November 3, 2020 | 12:48 AM
Christopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Lennox Wallace, the parish manager of the St James Health Department, is making a fresh appeal for the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC), which owns the People’s Arcade in Montego Bay, to address drainage issues, rat infestation, and other public health concerns at the facility.
"Some minor works were done at the People’s Arcade by the JRC and promises were made to complete other works, but it has fallen back into a state of disrepair," said Wallace.
He said the current conditions pose a threat to businesses and residents.
Wallace’s comments follow last Thursday’s revelation by the Health Ministry of a potential triple-threat in the western parish with the onset of COVID-19, dengue fever, and the flu virus.
The St James’ health authorities have been meeting with the parish’s business community with a view to reducing the potential impact of the triple threat.
However, he says there is renewed concern about the People's Arcade.
"In light of the hurricane season and the fact that there is a drain on the compound that needs to be cleaned, I am worried that it is serving as a harbour for any disease outbreak," said Wallace, insisting that the issue needs urgent attention.
The People’s Arcade, which has had a history of poor sanitation, has often been cited as a source for St James’ perpetual rat infestation problem.
Household waste is often dumped into the nearby gully, creating a breeding ground for rodents.
The location has also previously been identified as a potential breeding site for mosquitoes that carry diseases such as dengue fever and the Zika virus.
The People's Arcade was established in 1996 by former Montego Bay Mayor Arthur Gilchrist to accommodate street vendors who were displaced during the construction of the Inter-American Development Bank-funded Montego Bay South Gully Drainage Improvement Project.
Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.