Kingston, 25 January 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has hailed volunteers across the island who are participating in the three-day national dengue clean up activity.

Minister Grange was speaking at the New Day Primary and Junior High School in St Andrew where the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, officially launched the clean up campaign this morning (Saturday).

The Prime Minister observed and participated in the search for and destruction of mosquito breeding sites in the Grants Pen community. The Prime Minister also participated in the treatment of water containing mosquito larvae, and covered water storage container with nets.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Honourable Christopher Tufton; the Opposition Spokesman on Health, Dr Morais Guy (who represented the Leader of the Opposition); Member of Parliament for North East St Andrew, the Honourable Delroy Chuck; Deputy Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Winston Ennis; and Minister Grange.

Minister Grange thanked volunteers who worked on Friday — the first day of the national clean up — for their effort towards protecting schools and business places across the island against the mosquitoes that spread dengue.

Minister Grange, who is leading the coordination of the national clean up in collaboration with Minister Tufton, as well as the Minister of Local Government and Community Development, the Honourable Desmond McKenzie said the level of participation in the clean up activity shows that more Jamaicans are beginning to understand that “dengue is a serious disease can affect every single one of us.”

Minister Grange said:

“The mosquitoes that spread dengue do not care who we are or where we come from, so it means that each one of us must join the effort to find and destroy the mosquitoes and their breeding sites.”

The national clean up — from January 24 to 26 — is being held under the theme: Mosquitoes wanted dead, not alive!

Minister Grange said the activities over the three days “must be treated as a launch because the fight against mosquitoes will continue. We have made the decision to carry the theme through to Labour Day. And so, I’m asking everyone to continue to search for the breeding sites and to kill the mosquitoes.”

END