The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

WORKERS at the Department of Environmental Health Services are voicing their concerns over unacceptable conditions that have been forcing them to leave work half day.

Employees at the department’s Farrington Road location told The Tribune they have been leaving work at 1pm since the building’s air conditioning system has been out of service.

Dahl Bethel, a health inspector for the department, said the issue has been occurring “off and on” since 2010.

“When you look at the steel roof... there is no foam installation,” he said.

“So you could get the most brand new air condition system and it’ll still break down because... of this building.

“We have 200 workers and minimum wage is $210, so that’d be like $5.25 an hour. That calculates per year (to) about $208,000 the government lose in man hours by sending these people home at one o’ clock everyday,” he added.

Other employees also voiced their frustrations about working conditions and other issues.

“If you ask me, they ain’t giving no promotion and thing because they feel as though we ain’t working,” one worker said.

“They say ‘They getting off at one so we ain’t got to give them no promotion or transfer.’ They feel as if they are doing us a favour by letting us go home one o’clock,” she explained.

Another employee said the Vector Control building has mould “coming through the sheetrock and ceiling tiles” that makes it difficult to breathe.

He alleged the building is also “infested with termites,” and claimed that when it rained, water leaked into the building from the ceiling.

Mr Bethel furthered that in addition to sanitary issues, workers in the department also struggle with obtaining company vehicles to carry out their duties.

“If you have 10 cars that are supposed to ensure surveillance of general sanitation and that’s your mandate, but instead the cars are just being used as personal vehicles for managers, then that means you’re wasting your resources,” he stated.

“... They have resources, but they are not using it. So the problem is lack of productive management.

“Term after term governments change and (it’s) the same problem… the only thing consistent during all of this is the director.”

When asked to respond to allegations made by staff, Melony McKenzie, the department’s director, said there is “not a building in the country that does not have any problems from time to time.”

When asked about the claims regarding company vehicles, Mrs McKenzie said she knew nothing about the matter.

Insisting the air conditioner issue is being dealt with, she also stated: “That’s a process. So we have to go through the Ministry of Works, we have to find the funds, we have to pay for them (and) they have to be shipped in. All of that has been done.

“This one needs a shaft, this one needs a compressor. The compressor has been purchased (and) the Ministry of Works will come in and fix it.”

While Mrs McKenzie said she could not pinpoint the exact time the air conditioning system will be fixed, she asserted the compressor is “in place” and a new shaft has been ordered.

“I understand when staff iare distraught because yes, it is hot. So when you’re hot we say ‘If you’re hot leave’... because there is absolutely nothing that can speed the process up except dealing with it,” she said.

“They are allowed to leave whenever it (the heat) becomes oppressive.”