Page 12 - Aruba Today

A12

WORLD NEWSMonday 30 November 2015

Use of banned pesticide not isolated event in US territories

A ferry boat enters Cruz Bay, in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. A criminal investigation into the methyl bromide and other nies in the Caribbean still
March 2015 exposure to pesticide poisoning at the Sirenusa Condominium Resort located in St. pesticides. use methyl bromide be-
John, continues and the family from Wilmington, Delaware, is in settlement talks with Terminix, The EPA’s regional admin- cause of lax governmental
the company that used methyl bromide on insects in a vacation rental adjacent to theirs. istrator, Judith Enck, said supervision and because
she and Puerto Rico’s Ag- kills pests in just one appli-
(AP Photo/Tomas van Houtryve) riculture Department have cation. That level of tox-
found at least several oth- icity, though, has serious
DANICA COTO A criminal investigation broader use of methyl bro- er examples of prohibited consequences on humans,
Associated Press into the March poisoning mide in the Virgin Islands chemicals being used at causing headaches, dizzi-
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico at the Sirenusa Condomin- and Puerto Rico also is still hotels. She recommends ness, fainting and even pa-
(AP) — Nine months af- ium Resort continues and underway. anyone staying at a hotel ralysis and death.
ter a vacationing family the family from Wilming- Officials have disclosed in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Two teenage boys from
nearly died from exposure ton, Delaware, is in settle- few details about what Islands ask if their room has the family poisoned on St.
to methyl bromide on the ment talks with Terminix, they’ve learned. But the been treated with pesti- John remain hospitalized
island of St. John, authori- the company that used federal government and cides and open windows in Delaware. They and
ties have come to at least the chemical on insects in the U.S. Virgin Islands re- to ventilate it when they their father suffered neu-
one troubling conclusion: a vacation rental adjacent cently held a conference arrive just to be safe. rological damage and are
The use of the banned pes- to theirs. A separate inves- for pesticide companies, “When you’re on vacation, paralyzed. A federal inves-
ticide was not an isolated tigation by the U.S. Environ- resort operators and hos- the last thing you’re think- tigation after their poison-
event in U.S. Caribbean mental Protection Agency pitality workers to warn ing about is if your hotel ing revealed that methyl
territories. and local officials into the them about the dangers of room or Airbnb (rental) is bromide has been widely
soaked in pesticide,” Enck used in the U.S. Virgin Is-
said. “You’re at their mer- lands, Gov. Kenneth Mapp
cy.” says. He said he learned
She said that methyl bro- the chemical had even
mide “is one of many pes- been sprayed at his home
ticides being used illegally and nearby residences
and inappropriately in the in 2013 to treat a termite
Caribbean” and that more infestation. The territorial
local oversight and regula- government has said it will
tion of pesticide compa- regulate pest control com-
nies is needed. panies more closely and
While methyl bromide is require new permits for the
still used on the mainland sale and purchase of re-
U.S. for agricultural pur- stricted-use pesticides.
poses, the EPA banned the Methyl bromide also has
chemical for residential been used at hotels in Puer-
use in 1984 and is phasing to Rico, officials say, but it is
out its overall use. unknown if the island has
Experts say some compa- taken any action.q

Philippines gets 1st fighter jets in a decade amid sea feud

B. MARQUEZ down at Clark Freeport, a dustries at a cost of 18.9 of supersonic combat air- Under current President Be-
Associated Press former U.S. Air Force base billion pesos ($402 million). craft, the F-5, in 2005. A nigno Aquino III, however,
CLARK AIR BASE, Philip- north of Manila, as Philip- The other jets will be deliv- military modernization pro- territorial spats with China
pines (AP) — The Philip- pine defense officials ap- ered in batches through gram that included plans over islands in the South
pines on Saturday took de- plauded and fire trucks 2017. for the purchase of at least China Sea have escalated
livery of two Korean-made sprayed water as a tradi- Weapons for the FA-50s, a squadron of fighter jets and resulted in the Chinese
fighter jets — the country’s tional welcome salute for including bombs and rock- and naval frigates didn’t seizure of a disputed shoal
first supersonic combat air- the still-unarmed aircraft. ets, will be purchased later. happen for several years in 2012, prompting the
craft in a decade — as it The Philippines bought 12 “We’re glad we’re finally largely because of a lack military to scramble to ac-
strengthens its underfund- FA-50s, which are primarily back to the supersonic of funds. quire new navy ships and
ed military amid an esca- trainer jets that the military age,” Defense Secretary Over the years, the military air force planes with the
lating territorial feud with converted to also serve as Voltaire Gazmin said. has deteriorated to be- help of the United States,
China. multi-role combat aircraft, The Philippine military de- come one of Asia’s weak- the Philippines’ longtime
The FA-50 jets touched from Korea Aerospace In- commissioned its last fleet est. defense treaty ally.q