Transcript
CHARLIE AVE - The main purpose of this programme is to check around people's properties including commercial property, dwelling houses and all those properties who have people residing. The main aim is to see whether they are looking after things that can hold water and produce mosquitoes for example empty cans, plastic bottles, any kind of waste, e-waste. That's why our team is going around each individual premises.
SELA JANE HOPGOOD - This inspection, how many days does it take?
CA - This programme is conducted 10 days and anything that we have found which is unusual, normally we call it a Tutaka assessment notice, which is given to the owner or occupier of a premises or of a property detailing the problem or issue found during that particular inspection day and normally we give them about 7 to 14 days depend on the nature of the problem to rectify.
SJH - And what happens if people don't take the assessment notice seriously?
CA - We have a process if they don't comply with the first notice then we move on for another, which is called precautionary notice and most of our people here, the first and the second notice they will abide for it, but there are some stubborn people they may have excuses or may have issues surrounding that problem, so we give them ample time, which is maybe taken up to one to three months, but if there is nothing been done after that time period then we would be seeking some legal advice and all these methods will refer to our ground law office here in the Cooks where they will see how they can prosecute, but our main aim is not go to that stage.
SJH - If houses aren't maintained to your standard, what are some of the health issues that may arise?
CA - Mainly mosquito-borne diseases. The Cook Islands is in the middle of the Pacific surrounded by countries of the Pacific which they have this problem. They have chikungunya somewhere. They have a dengue, zika and other related issues, but for the Cook Island we don't have that's why we want this programme to maintain it because we found out this is one of the best method to control introduction of the virus or the infection into the country. Regardless of that we already have the vector on the island. It's only the virus. Once the virus comes through people at our border then there will be a possibility a transmission of such will occur, so the main target is to prevent the vector from infecting other people when those viruses enter the country.
SJH - What are some of the excuses that people say when they don't comply the first time?
CA - The normal excuses like rain, they don't have time, all those kinds of things, but they are aware of the issue at the very beginning. They know why this programme is started.