KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has hailed volunteers across the island who are participating in the three-day national dengue clean up activity.

Grange was speaking at the New Day Primary and Junior High School in St Andrew where Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, officially launched the islandwide clean-up campaign this morning (Saturday, January 25).

The Prime Minister observed and participated in the search and destruction of mosquito breeding sites in the Grants Pen community.  Holness also participated in the treatment of water containing mosquito larvae, and covered water storage containers with nets, Grange’s ministry said in a report.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr 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, Delroy Chuck; Deputy Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Winston Ennis; and Minister Grange.

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, 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.”

 “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,” Grange said.

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

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.”