BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard. (File photo)
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard has warned that Bahamas Power and Light employees stationed at Clifton Pier will be “pulled off the job” if “deplorable” bathrooms at the plant are not brought up to an acceptable standard.
Some bathroom facilities have not been cleaned since December, well before Christmas, Mr Maynard claimed.
He told The Tribune there was a clear difference in standard between the bathroom BPL workers use and those utilised by non-Bahamians who were brought in to do ground work for the company’s new $95m power plant.
The BEWU chief said he complained to several executives about the condition of the facilities to no avail. As a result, he said BPL has until Monday to fix the issues or else workers will be told not to report to work at the Clifton plant.
The issue was put to BPL Chairman Donovan Moxey yesterday. He said while BPL does want the best possible facilities for employees, there were a lot of things on the executive board’s plate.
In response to Mr Maynard’s assertion that the standard was different for Bahamians compared with foreign workers, Mr Moxey said: “Station A hasn’t been used in about four years. There are no new bathrooms there.
“From my perspective, obviously we want to have the best possible facilities for BPL employees to work in and that is something that we are striving to do on a daily basis and those things take time.”
Mr Moxey added: “We just got in. Obviously, we have a lot of different things on our plate but again we want the best work environment.”
Meanwhile, the union says having to use bathrooms in such a condition is demoralising for the 100 BPL workers at the plant. They work 24-hour shifts at Clifton Pier.
Asked if the workers were told not to use the better bathrooms in Station A, Mr Maynard said this was not the case, but he said it boils down to proximity.
“Both bathrooms are a considerable distance from each other. It’s a long walk to them,” he said. “They get dirty and stuff and have to go in the showers and change and wash clothes and stuff before they go home.”
He added: “The bathrooms are in poor condition, it’s deplorable, just ridiculous. They don’t even clean them. We told them to have them cleaned.
“Last Monday I went up there and I discovered this. We said this is just ridiculous.
“Then I went to another part of the plant where the white man working dealing with the new engines. That one is fixed up, nice and clean. It’s ridiculous.
“I said ‘man, y’all have two different stations going on down here – one for the white man and one for the Negroes.’”
Mr Maynard said their concerns are not new.
Last year, workers complained the ceilings were leaking and there was mold.
These issues were addressed he said, but ignored the fact that attention needed to be placed on sanitation and upkeep of the facilities, Mr Maynard said.
Comments
BMW 5 years, 8 months ago
his true colors(pardon the pun) are showing.
pro_test 5 years, 8 months ago
if the plate is full get the easy stuff off. I would of fire a man who can't get a cleaner and a Plumber point blank.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago
I wish we had a means by which we could flush him down one of those toilets! LMAO
ohdrap4 5 years, 8 months ago
His fumes spread out all over when the lights go out.
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
BEY.....BASIC TOILET TRAINING .......TO DA GROWN.....MEN......IS TO LIFT DA TOILET SEAT UP......WHEN YA PEE........AN AFTER NO2......FLUSH DA TOILET.......BASIC COMMON TRAINING....!!!!!!!!!.........IF DEY AINT ADVANCED IN TRAINING....TO KEEP TOILET CLEAN......GET DA BACK HOE TO DIG HOLE IN DA GROUND.....BUILT AN OUTHOUSE .......an pore taxpayer can afford mosquito coil to use ridding mosquito .in da outhouse....!!!!!!!!!!....
realfreethinker 5 years, 8 months ago
Is there any way to get rid of this piece of shit. Maynard,please just go away.
Dawes 5 years, 8 months ago
Looks like Maynard needs to ensure his members are able to use a toilet correctly and clean up after themselves if they don't. I would assume they are the only ones using these, so i would therefore also assume that it is them making this mess. Though there should be basic cleaning by someone, if it is as bad as described then the staff don't know how to use a toilet.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago
Some of those BPL guys should be made to sit when they pee. LMAO
One 5 years, 8 months ago
These 100 BPL workers too busy or too good to clean a bathroom? Take the matter into your own hands. When they see highly paid workers using their paid hours to clean; then perhaps the business will consider hiring more cleaning staff at a considerably lower hourly rate. And perhaps the BPL workers will have greater respect for the facilities.
geostorm 5 years, 8 months ago
This man is sickening to see! Why doesn't he encourage his members to clean up after themselves. The toilet condition is a reflection of them. It really doesn't say much about those workers if they have to cry to have someone clean up after them!
I DESPISE these unions!
sheeprunner12 5 years, 8 months ago
How much do janitorial staff make at BPL????? ....... Or do they hire a company??? ......... This should not be an issue, though ..... smh
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 8 months ago
“Last Monday I went up there and I discovered this. We said this is just ridiculous."
Last Monday???? they just found out the bathrooms were in that state? They look like the bathrooms in the Lost World after the dinosaurs escape the compound, eat some people and chase everybody else off the island. That pic look like they been abandoned for ten years.
I agree something is wrong and its unconscionable that you could ask employees to use those bathrooms. But Maynard could have complained last year, the year before that or before that. This the first time the public hearing about it. I think Maynard is more upset that the threat of blackout chip is slipping from his fingers
hrysippus 5 years, 8 months ago
This union Official just wants to see his name in the newspapers. He is basically fuel of ..it. Like the headline, the trib has a mischievous copy editor.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago
Right you are, especially about The Tribune's editor.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 8 months ago
I think the copy editor is great. It takes skill to sum up a story in less than 10 words and make those 10 words click bait without using "naked girls" or "free money in the sentence
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