The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE air-conditioning unit at the Ministry of Health's headquarters is now working, though it is still unclear when operations will return to normal at the Poinciana Hill complex, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday.

Dr Sands, in an interview with reporters, said while the facility's air-conditioner is working "better than it had been," he still is unsure if officials are at the point to insist staff in the building should return to a full day of work.

The Elizabeth MP said once the "all-clear" is given, the ministry's operations "will resume to normal activity".

Dr Sands also said badly needed repairs to the building's plywood-patched roof have not yet been made. However, he said the National Insurance Board (NIB), which owns the building, has "started the process," adding that he would "like it to be done as soon as possible".

Earlier this month, Dr Sands told The Tribune that the Ministry of Health had lost more than $150,000 worth of productivity because of "serious challenges" with a badly leaking roof and a faulty air-conditioner at its headquarters.

At the time, Dr Sands said the Bahamian people are "not getting ideal productivity" from his ministry, as, he said, for weeks senior officials at the ministry have had to implement half-day shifts for line staff "because the working conditions are significantly less than optimal" at the Poinciana Hill complex.

So bad is the building's physical infrastructure, Dr Sands said, that if one were to stand in a particular room "you can look and see the sky through the plywood in the roof." Dr Sands also said the roof "leaks tremendously" during heavy rain.

When questioned for an update on the matter yesterday, Dr Sands said: "(The) air-conditioning is working, it's better than it had been. I don't know that we're yet at a point where we can insist that our staff return to a full day's work. Once we get the all clear we will resume to normal activity.

"There have been no corrections to the roof, so we all keep our fingers crossed that it's not going to rain too hard."

When asked for an estimated timeline for the completion of the roof repairs, Dr Sands said: "The National Insurance Board who owns the building has started the process; I cannot speak to the timeline. But I'd like it to be done as soon as possible."

Last year, Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) President John Pinder blamed the poor working conditions at the building on NIB, claiming that the mould infestation was caused by "shabby work" by NIB's private contractors.

The mould infestation, Mr Pinder said at the time, had been lingering for over two years, despite an assessment from the Ministry of Environment advising that the matter should be dealt with promptly.

Earlier this month, Dr Sands said his ministry has looked at "all of the options," including relocation; however, the ideal remedy would be to "accomplish a definitive repair".