By Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer

Greater Portmore has been named as one of the communities earmarked by the St. Catherine Health Department as having a high rat population.

The community was named along with their St. Catherine neighbours Linstead, as two communities which the Ministry of Health will be giving $750,000 each to address the problem.

According to Public Health Inspector, Everton Francis, while the condition exists, the department will be doing all in its power to educate people about how to dispose of their waste, as this will ease the rat infestation.

He told members of the St. Catherine Parish Council at a recent general meeting, that what compliments the rat infestation, especially in Portmore, is the problems of improper sewage disposal, as several plants in St. Catherine are not working and this poses a potential health risk.

broken plants

Among the sewage plants not working properly are Eltham Acres, Dela Vega City, and other areas around Spanish Town.

He said that this must be addressed and that the Ministry of Health will be visiting the areas, along with personnel from the health department, to see how best they can remedy the problem or make recommendation for this to be done.