Question NW2717 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
05 January 2022 - NW2717
Hicklin, Ms MB to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1) Given that Acacia Park Parliamentary Village has had numerous incidents of highly venomous snakes in the past few weeks (details furnished), by what date does she envisage a permanent contract will be signed to ensure that appropriate horticultural services are on hand to properly maintain the grounds in the three parliamentary villages; (2) given that Laboria Park is infested with snakes, rats and frogs and the grass in both parliamentary villages have not been cut in over a year, by what date does she envisage the situation will be addressed?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1) I have been informed by the Department that the Facilities Management (FM) contract will become effective by 01 March 2022. The said contract will provide the appropriate horticultural services required to adequately maintain the grounds at the three parliamentary villages. In the interim, a snake and mole programme has been implemented at Acacia Park, snake repellent will be sprayed around the houses and fumigation tablets will be dropped into the mole tunnels. For December 2021, the snake repellent and tablets will be administered on a weekly basis, whereafter from January 2022 a call will be logged to continue the programme, which will be on a need basis, until the FM contract becomes effective.
(2) There is no infestation of snakes, rats and frogs in the Laboria Park Parliamentary Village reported, however, should any of these become prevalent in the said or anyParliamentary Village, the same treatment would be provided as is currently the case in Acacia Park. In respect of the grass, it is untrue that the grass has not been cut in over a year, there is currently a contractor appointed to attend to the horticultural services at Laboria Park and the other two Parliamentary Villages.