Dear Sir
In a recent “Anguillian” the Honorable Chief Minister/Minister of Finance talked about the bank rescue and admitted that success depends on our not having some economic disaster. A government minister also said, a couple months ago that if we don’t rescue the banks, the effect on the economy would be “unimaginable” – in other words serious consequences for all Anguillians, including depositors at those banks including Social Security stakeholders.
Meanwhile an observant repeat visitor had just learned about the Zika virus and commented: “Soon, someone will post this news on TripAdvisor.”
I don’t know if that has happened, but it is now difficult to read the news online from the usual sources, or sit through a news programme on TV (from the UK, USA and the region) without repeatedly seeing articles about the spread of the Zika virus. We are being told about the link to babies being born with underdeveloped brains and President Barack Obama has, on Wednesday, called for urgent action against the virus. Locally we hear that that hotel bookings are being cancelled. The hoteliers are very, very concerned.
Considering…
1. the short term cost of lost productivity while people suffering from Zika are unable to work; and
2. the impact that Zika would have, or is having, on current year hotel reservations and therefore the local economy (private and public sectors, and don’t forget the multiplier effect of reduced spending when people are laid off work in the hospitality industry); and
3. the impact this could have on the banking situation, as mentioned above; and
4. the reports about babies being born with small heads/brains because of Zika and that, if true, this could have serious cost implications for a country / territory like Anguilla for very many years into the future…
Isn’t it past the time that the Environmental Health people should get out there fogging, and to be fogging as often as necessary (once a week, once a month, etc), and to actually go round looking for and dealing with possible mozzie breeding places as well as telling the community to do so? Shouldn’t this be a high priority for them instead of preparing reports? Getting them active/fogging would cost peanuts compared with the cost of having a Zika virus, or any other mozzie-borne outbreak.
Sincerely
Letuspray
