Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) Northern Region Vice President, Latoya Cartwright is voicing concerns about how mold in the Harold DeGregory Building in Freeport, Grand Bahamas is affecting members of the union.
Cartwright told ZNS News, “I have copies of doctors slips and persons off sick will lung infection and alleged report that independent studies were done and concluded that there are some fifteen different types of mold in the building.”
The Union Representative also challenged Permanent Secretary Melvin Seymour’s explanation of poor air quality, due to construction working being carried out in the building, being a possible cause of the health issues of employees. “I walked around myself, saw visible mold like appearances on almost every floor, every office that I’ve walked in that entire building. So you cannot say today that it’s dust from persons doing work cause that work just started a few weeks ago,” Cartwright said.
A meeting was held with the Permanent Secretary and Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey who assured that the building would close for remediation after a scope of works was received. Cartwright said, “we had the meeting on Thursday of which we confirmed we have a situation in the building, the building needs to shut down but I was told that they were only watching on the scope of work.”
Cartwright says that she contacted Minister Moxey who instructed her to contact the Permanent Secretary but she has been unable to reach him.
