Cleanliness next to godliness and the law

The meeting was held at the San Fernando City Corporation complex.

Al Rawi who is the parliamentary representation for San Fernando West, said, “You know they say cleanliness is next to godliness? Well, it is also next to the law.” He announced that there would be a “grace period” which would encourage citizens across the country to inculcate a habit of cleaning their surroundings. When that period ends, Al Rawi said, the laws will be applied and very stringently, after the clean-up campaign has begun.

Al Rawi said that the fines for unkempt lots and derelict vehicles were increased earlier this year to show the seriousness with which the country must tackle the scourge of the Zika and dengue viruses caused by the breeding of the Aedes Egypti mosquito.

Al Rawi, in appealing to citizens to take responsibility for their surroundings, said, “Drains year after year find themselves flooding over. Not because the State has failed to spend money on it, but because people have fridges and stoves and vehicles inside their drains and it didn’t come there other than by way of citizens input.” The National Clean- Up Campaign is carded to begin in the second week of January and is expected to run for at least one week. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, Desdra Bascombe, said a detailed budget has not been assigned to the project as yet.

She said due to financial constraints, the model of volunteerism used for San Fernando’s clean-up campaign under Hosein while he was mayor ofthe city, would be employed.

The Mayors, Chairmen and CEOs present praised the initiative and pledged their support for its success.