ORANJESTAD — Yellow Fever Mosquito Elimination (GKMB) works with a geographic information system (GIS) since several months. With this system, the department keeps track – per address where these elimination activities are performed – of how many breading places of the dengue mosquito are found.GKMB also makes this information available to the Public Prosecutor (OM) in connection with the fines given. The systems of GKMB and the OM are namely not automatically linked to each other.

GIS works fine for us, said an employee of GKMB. “If we receive an address for inspection, the computer system immediately shows us the history of that address. In other words, whether breading places of the dengue mosquito were found more often at this address.” This information is important for several reasons. Thanks to this computer system, the geographical distribution of dengue becomes surveyable ‘by pressing the button’, said GKMB. For instance, the department knows exactly per district, street and even per address where many breading places were and where there were or are problems with dengue mosquitoes, which of course is helpful with a district-oriented approach for example with spraying. Using GIS is one of the advices the department received from the Pan American Health Organization (Paho), according to the government departments.

The information from GIS also gives a clear view on the behavior of residents, because it shows whether certain addresses report dengue breading places on a regular basis. In that case, the government department can conclude that the residents at that address or users of that lot don’t take dengue suppression seriously. Such behavior can be of influence on the fine.

The Directorate of Public Health, under which GKMB falls, states that the fines given to this day vary from 50 to 150 florins. The OM, who determines these amounts and ensures citizens actually receive the fine, could not say before this edition went to press if they had already sent fines to citizens and/or if fines had been paid.

For that matter, Public Health stated fifteen fines were handed out on Monday and Tuesday. GKMB mentioned eighteen fines earlier on.

Imposing fines

Employees of GKMB are not authorized to serve someone with a summons. The Directorate of Public Health states they are supervisory officials who monitor observance of certain laws. The officials need to follow the training ‘special officer of police’ (BAP) before they can serve someone with a summons. The Directorate of Public Health has three BAP-members. Of course, police officers are also authorized to serve citizens with a summons.

The Dengue Swipe Team, which currently checks the districts of Sta. Cruz for breading places, includes a BAP-member and a policeman on the beat. This allows the Swipe Team to impose fines if they discover dengue breading places. Public Health further states they will start training more civil servants as Special Tracking Official (BOA). The intention is to have GKMB-employees follow this BOA-training as well.

Team discovers more than dengue mosquitoes

For that matter, during their house inspections, the Dengue Swipe Team discovers other matters besides breading places of the dengue mosquitoes. For instance, a marihuana plant at a house in Macuarima last Tuesday. The police served the resident with a summons. The marihuana plant was confiscated and will be destroyed.