Exterminator Walter Ng
When pests are getting the best of you, its time to call in the pros. Walter Ng was an exterminator for six years and is now the manager of Christian Environmental Health. He tells us about his Christian-tinged crusade against creepy-crawlies.
HK Magazine: So what do you kill?
Walter Ng: It depends on the place. In homes, we usually kill cockroaches and termites. In restaurants and bars it's rats.
HK: Do you have to be Christian to kill pests for a Christian company?
WN: I am a Christian and I go to mass every Sunday. Our boss is also Christian. However, this is not a requirement. We’re not preachers or anything like that. We use the term “Christian” to let people know we are an honest business and would not cheat them. Many businesses have used this tactic; it just promotes a better image.
HK: Does killing pests square with the fifth commandment, thou shalt not kill?
WN: Well actually, that commandment only refers to humans. I know people see Christians as peaceful and non-violent, but we see pests as evil. The Bible says we should exterminate evil for the greater good and we see our job as God’s work. However we prefer to use the term “control” rather than “extermination.”
HK: Do you ever feel guilty about all the killing?
WN: I certainly don’t. Pests are evil in the way they adversely affect the human psyche. So it is our job to get rid of this menace.
HK: Why do roaches keep coming back?
WN: They say cockroaches have been in existence for millions of years. Even if we do clear out an area, there’s a high chance they’ll return. The best way to prevent that from happening is keeping your home clean so they won’t have a hiding place. A cockroach couple can reproduce about 20,000 a year so it’s important to exterminate them sooner rather than later.
HK: How many roaches are there, on average, in each flat?
WN: There are two types of cockroaches. German ones are smaller but spread quickly. American ones are bigger and mainly come from the sewers. So it depends where the place is located. Once we were called to a flat that was about 500 square feet, and it was so filthy it was crawling with thousands of cockroaches. It took us an entire day to clear it out.