Eye Spy – The Mold That Won’t Go Away

It thrives in damp, warm, and humid environments. A major problem that just refuses to go away. Like that other State Department thing. It comes in a variety of guises: whether in our homes, in places outdoors or in bathrooms, it’s still mold. And hazardous to continued breathing. This natural pest can cause a host of medical problems before it buries you. But how can we hate something that is a natural outgrowth of an environment we create ourselves? I mean, it seems pretty clear to me that mold is literally the product of its environment. We live in a country that sees key institutions, public buildings—even our alleged halls of justice—are shut down by mold.

Then again, when you think about it, these public buildings, just by the mere uselessness of their nature, would naturally invite such an infestation; no surprise there. It turns out that Stachybotrys atra—the black boy mold—may be the biggest problem confronting Allen Chastanet’s “Yo Pere” administration. Every week since its 100 innings test run began, we’ve heard new declarations about some public building in the grip of mold. (By the way, why was the mold invasion such a secret before June 2, 2016? Hmmmm . . .)

Then there are the other harder to recognize strains of mold, all equally distressing: VH mold; DPP mold: Juffali mold: Chagoury mold . . . IMPACS mold. Let’s face it, these infestations seem determined to stick around. Obviously some urgent house cleaning is demanded. Bring in the super-pest control, some say. But then when your pest control is not only some super mold in disguise but it’s also in cahoots with the pest, wha’ you gon do?

Obviously the House of Yo Pe needs to go where no one has gone before. In Saint Lucia, anyway. Like putting a lighted torch to the problem. Know what I mean? (And now I’m wondering if mold could be the secret reason the latest house occupiers are so often off-island. If so, would you blame them?)

Until next time, adios . . .