The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Customs, Immigration & Allied Workers Union officials say union members want better communication from government officials on efforts to protect workers from contracting COVID-19.

The union’s comments to The Tribune came hours before the Immigration Department revealed only six workers have tested positive for the infectious disease and not 30 as “inadvertantly” suggested this week by Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson.

In late July, Bahamas Customs Superintendent Tyrone Sands told this newspaper at least one customs officer was COVID-19 positive. Officials confirmed to The Tribune yesterday that several customs officers in Abaco have been placed under quarantine after a worker was exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient on the island.

“From our standpoint, my colleagues in the Immigration Department have said to me and the Customs Department that we have no difficulties seeking to work, it’s just whether we have reasonable equipment to better protect ourselves,” BCIAWU president Sloane Smith said yesterday.

“You may still get sick but at least give ourselves a fighting chance and I think that’s the concern of the doctors as well. The idea is they have no difficulty functioning, but the concern is they want the best possible equipment and I think that’s across the board in the service where people have to interact.”

On Tuesday, Mr Johnson told reporters that “no less” than 30 officers had tested positive for the virus. However, in a statement released yesterday, Immigration Director Clarence Russell sought to clarify Mr Johnson’s remarks, noting that only six workers had tested positive for the disease to date.

He said Mr Johnson had “inadvertently categorised 30 immigration officers who are quarantined as having tested COVID-19 positive.”

In an effort to help worker’s safeguard against the virus, Mr Russell said the department has activated its COVID-19 prevention protocols and had secured personal protective equipment for its workers.

“In March, the department developed a business continuity plan following safety and social distancing protocols. The department has also acquired standing sanitising stations and customer friendly protective shields at all high traffic enrolment stations and cashier cages,” he said.

“Infrared thermometers have been installed for staff temperature checks and sanitising sterile fogging measures have been conducted, which will continue weekly. The department maintains an inventory of PPE gowns, disposable masks, face shields, hand sanitiser and disinfectant cleaners for customer and staff protection in the work environment.”

The statement was issued hours after Mr Smith spoke to The Tribune, revealing that members had not been notified by immigration officials on exactly how many workers had tested positive.

“We do know by virtue of talking to some of our members the status of some persons, but that does not in any way say we know the exact numbers,” he said.

“You would think that the government certainly, as these officers are on the frontline that they would say to us what is happening. That is a part of their obligations of our contract, to advise exactly what is going on at all points.”

He continued: “We understand the challenges that government is tasked with and we also know the limitations that they may have but what cannot be lost in all of this is we wish to work with our leaders, but at the same time there are some fundamental things that ought to be given the workers and the work environment that seeks to mitigate potentially life threatening event that is COVID presently.”

The union leader also said he would like to see a training manual implemented on COVID-19 safety protocols for all government agencies.

“(The Prime Minister) asked the labour movement to put together a training manual, a training process to better deal with all of these persons who are going to be confronted with this pandemic head on,” he noted.

“And that’s all of the agents I named previously and not only that but even in the tourism industry. The idea is to do training obviously through Zoom and other mediums so that the whole community who is going to interact with the Bahamian populace is aware of this level of training so we can better help the government manage this COVID matter.

“And that is something still on the table. I believe the prime minister is allowing the labour movement to pursue it. It’s just a matter when we are able to do this in light of the recent lockdown and what have you.”