Senator Randy Rolle. (File photo)
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
RODENTS have infested downtown for years, but Senator Randy Rolle, a Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation consultant, said a “multi–faceted” extermination approach would keep the pests away.
After mentioning the matter in the Senate yesterday, Mr Rolle told The Tribune that pest control efforts are underway on Junkanoo Beach, with other downtown areas to be impacted. He attributed the proliferation of rats, cockroaches, and other pests to inadequate garbage disposal.
“Right now, you have a number of storefronts that throw out garbage all hours of the day,” he said. “That’s not something that has been managed, so these rodents had food to be able to come out in the evening, and it was continuing to feed them.”
He said the ministry has got two dune buggies that will pick up garbage “every 30 minutes” in the Downtown area. The litter will be relocated to a designated spot for collection.
“The more we avoid garbage from sitting on Bay Street for long periods of time, we think that’s going to help curb it as well,” Mr Rolle added.
The rodent infestation Downtown has been a long-existing problem, with many concerned about how they impact the cleanliness of local businesses.
Mr Rolle said: “We have hired some companies to give us assessments. We’ve done an assessment. And we know where the problem areas are. Environmental Health is using poison. So it’s not only poison, it’s having different treatments to be able to rassle this issue.”
Khaliah Brown, project manager of the Ministry of Tourism, said treatments began in Pompey Square in December after the ministry hired a pest control company.
She said pest control efforts are ongoing and stressed the importance of the treatments being done simultaneously from Junkanoo Beach to Rawson Square.
“Because, as with anything else, logic dictates,” she said. “If you treat one area, they’re going to run from one area to the next. And they keep ping-ponging back and forth.”
Elite Precision is the company conducting pest control for Junkanoo Beach and Pompey Square.
Comments
ExposedU2C 2 months, 2 weeks ago
This is what the port development project and more cruise ships have brought to downtown Nassau.......the biggest rats anywhere in our region of the world. Can't help but wonder which Davis crony will get the fat contract to try kill all of these giant rats that are multiplying by the thousands each and every day.
TalRussell 2 months, 2 weeks ago
They've failed at this, for 57 years! The Colony's Ministry of Tourism's, untold story about, "The Soul And Charm Of The Long-gone From Bay Street Merchants'".---- Given way to the swarm of rats, now occupying the spaces, which were once crowded with, fush with US Dollars, tourists. --- Thing is, you couldn't write it. --- Yes?
bahamianson 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Nasty , nasty , nasty. These dang politicians travel all over the world and see beautiful places, yet come back home, drive downtown and see nothing wrong. Along with all the other damn problems we have , we must teach the grown-ups not to be damn nasty. This is pathetic. Grown ars swines are all around throwing garbage out of their hondas with the gold rims. Peoples perspectives and priorities need to be reformed. Downtown is a nasty , pissy, ugly, rodent infested place. And the government does not see anything wrong with that picture.
themessenger 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I don't know if anyone else has noticed, Bay Street notwithstanding, but we have a rodent epidemic throughout the whole of New Providence. It doesn't matter whether you live over the hill or in some gated community the rats, both two and four legged varieties find their way in sooner or later.
TalRussell 2 months, 2 weeks ago
@ComradeTheMess, don't get confused. On Bay Street, resides the Potcake Rats.--- Behind the guarded walls of the Gated Communities, they're better known as the Fattest Breed of Rats. --- Yes?
BONEFISH 2 months, 2 weeks ago
You need a massive education campaign in this country. That idea was suggested by the Tribune columnist who writes under the pen name Simon. bahamians have to be taught how not to litter and clean up after themselves. Something they should have been taught in their homes.
DiverBelow 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Ever hear of Cats? Instead of environmental damaging rat poiso, Ever Hear of CATS? If each house/building has a resident cat, you would be surprised at the impact on rat populations...but you must NEUTER THE CATS, something Bahamian society is reluctant to do, even for the existing stray dog packs. Then you can address the 4 legged issue.
themessenger 2 months, 2 weeks ago
@diver, I beg to differ, I have four cats two of which are dedicated ratters, and while they get their fair share of kills the dent they make in the local rat population, seeing as they, rats, breed as quickly as rabbits, is negligible to say the least. And I won't use poison either for fear that the dogs might get into it or one of the cats decide to eat an already poisoned rat.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
‘ Chicago earned the dubious honor, named Orkin's "rattiest city" of 2023, beating out Los Angeles and New York respectively for the ninth straight year. Orkin's list is released annually as the weather gets chillier, the time when mice and other rodents look for warm places to nest.’. That is the list for the world and not just the USA! And since few Bahamians frequent Bay Street these days, for obvious reasons ( they may get charged with harrassior even live in close proximity to Bay Street, the source of the rat infestation could be easily identified. And hence government should solicit tge support of the cruise port and other businesses on Bay Street in not only getting rid of these pests tgat carry germs and cause illnesses. How many tons of garbage and refuse come off the cruise ships on a daily basis and how long are they left laying around before they are dumped? And if the rodents come off the ships with the garbage, dies it also follows that tge cruise ships are infested with rodents?
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
And of course they will be the biggest RATS in BahamaLand if cruise passengers are fed up to TEN times day and night with steak, lobster, shri, pasta, rack of lamb leg ( sic) pastries ice cream and everything on Gods great earth. So not only the RATS leave the ships being stuffed and bloated ( speaking from personal experiences
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Shooting toll at Super Bowl parade now 22. Nine children with one person nconfirmed dead
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
When those Super Rats come off those cruise ship in those dumpsters, not only do they infeste downtown but many exit the dumpsters as it makes it way halfway across the island to the landfill. And they make their homes In peoples yards and cars and abandoned vehicles and buildings. And , of course they breed with local rats. So the effort must just be focused on downtown but has to be island-wide. There’s less than 200,000 permanent residents on the island but 1 19 million visitors.. go figure!
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