EDITOR, The Tribune.
IN response to your front page story “health HQ not fit for workers” dated July 12, 2017, I cannot in good conscience sit any longer without voicing an opinion of completely resolving the mould issue facing government and their buildings where thousands of good Bahamians are complaining of various kinds of illnesses like allergies, red eyes, coughs, skin rashes and many more of unknown etiology.
I recently returned to The Bahamas after a long absence of being fully established in the US as a naturopathic homeopath. In December of 2016, I invited a personal friend who is a chemist with several patents to his name to visit me here in New Providence in hopes of helping to look and evaluate the mould problem and finding a lasting solution to the pesky enduring problem. This chemist holds one of the only patents in the US to completely remove mould permanently from buildings and homes. It even goes a step further by placing an emulsion of the formula in cement while building new homes and commercial buildings preventing those buildings from developing mould throughout the life tenure of the structure.
Briefly for those unaware of the fundamentals of chemistry Lauric acid is an ingredient found in the breast milk of lactating mothers. This lauric acid in the mothers milk helps to protect the child from common diseases and certain illnesses like developing allergies, etc. This lauric acid when formulated into an emulsion and sprayed or rolled on the previously contaminated wall where mould once existed prevents any new mould from invading the home, or building. This emulsion can also be placed in paint after the mould has been removed and or cleaned. This lauric acid acts like a living organism and prevents new mould from entering the treated wall in a way, this organism devours the new mould.
In December of 2016, I along with the chemist and his American staff was able to obtain a meeting with Mr Herbert H Brown, Managing Director of Public Hospitals Authority to discuss the mould problem plaguing the government building, including the PMH. The then minister of Health Dr Gomez was not present, but it was understood that a representative was sent. Mr Brown and his staff were in full attendance as well as representatives from the Dept of Environmental Health. About twenty-five persons in all. Questions were asked, product shown and left with a few staff members. The staff were amazed that such a product existed and the simple process it would take to eradicate the mould in the buildings.
Several weeks went by and and I heard nothing from the ministry, however in January of this year 2017 I received a phone call from an unknown person requesting a meeting with me at the Ministry of Environmental Health. I was uncertain who the person was so I called that department to confirm such a meeting. It was confirmed for February 15th, 2017. I later learned that the meeting was to be held with Ms Melony McKenzie, Director of Dept.Environmental Health services. She and her staff were also impressed with this patented procedure for removing mould in humid climates. Ms McKenzie in turn asked me to immediately draft a letter to then Prime Minister Perry Christie with haste in requesting an urgent meeting. I did just that and hand delivered the letter to the PM’s office on February 16th, 2017 at approx 9:30 am and signed for by a T Munroe.
I gave then PM Christie’s office several days to respond to the letter. They never did and on two separate occasions I was left on the phone for 48 minutes and 36 minutes respectively. All in all I made 17 calls to the PM’s office requesting an appointment. None came.
Today upon reading the morning Tribune I read the story of the Meeting Street building as well as others within the portfolio of the Bahamian government that are badly contaminated and in need of radical urgent care as Bahamians are suffering great harm to their health from mould infestation.
The problem of mould could have been solved six months ago. It is my understanding that the same chemist who visited me here in The Bahamas is working on a similar project that may propel him as a nominee to the Nobel Peace Prize in chemistry at the end of his research.
What a wasted opportunity the past government allowed to slip out of their hands, now other governments around the world are being shown the same product for mould remediation. What a shame. What a waste. We seem to be so far behind in introducing new technologies we are lagging far behind in the 21st century.
In doing research it is my understanding that a contract was given to a former cabinet member’s brother that failed miserably in eradicating any of the mould from the building. I hope that Bahamians are made aware that previously built buildings before the 80s were basically free of mould. However when contracts were given to friends, buddies who tried to cut corners and instead of buying certified materials from the USA instead bought cheap uncertified products from Asian countries that are filled with polluting chemicals. Let’s say dry wall in the USA may cost $10.00 per sheet, then in the Asian countries the same size dry wall would cost $1.00 per sheet. Hence the poor quality materials allowing mould to invade.
It is my hope, now that a physician who is in charge politically and is aware of having patients with mould problems, and is fully aware of the contaminated buildings would be more fully conscious of doing something to assist those workers who sit daily for eight hours in highly infected buildings with mould. The government is losing millions of dollars in sick days, half days, doctors bills and I would not be surprised if these workers don’t get together to file a class action law suit against the government. I remain ready to those interested in solving this plague.
DR DEREK PINDER
N.D;PH.D;D.Hom
Nassau,
July 12, 2017.
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