The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

DISGRUNTLED employees of the communication centre in Princess Margaret Hospital staged a sit-out yesterday due no air-conditioning in their department.

Bahamas Public Services Union president Kimsley Ferguson said the air-conditioner in that particular block has been down since last Wednesday and the area has no windows.

Mr Ferguson said: “The problem starts from the accounts door into this particular area that covers communications. (There is) no means of ventilation, even if fans are placed in this particular area it wouldn’t assist with what is going on.

“Hence the workers would have withdrawn themselves from this particular critical area in the hospital that deals with emergencies and so no calls are coming in at this present time.”

When asked how long the sit-out will go on, Mr Ferguson said until the air-conditioner is sorted out.

He added: “I don’t know who the reports would have went to, but for such a critical area like this it should have been dealt with expeditiously. Until (they) get it sorted out we are going to be right in the corridor.”

According to Mr Ferguson, he has tried to reach the hospital administrator but to no avail.

“Someone would have spoken to the human resources manager who said it’s just coming to her attention this morning which is very difficult to believe for such an important area so for whatever reason it has been difficult trying to access particular individuals who have a responsibility for these things.

“We’ve seen some workmen here trying to get it going apparently the unit is running but we don’t feel anything coming into those areas that this particular unit supplies,” he said.

Tabitha Deveaux, a telephonist, said they shouldn’t have to work under those conditions. She said: “We’re here to save lives, that is our job, that’s what we came here to do and if we become a patient who is going to assist the clients on the outside? It is not only hot and humid you can smell mould, mildew and there is no ventilation.”

An employee who preferred to be unnamed, said: “This the beginning of the third week sitting here under these conditions. There is no other ventilation, those windows can’t open and there is no fan, so I don’t know what’s going on.

“My staff is not here but someone has to answer the phone in case there is an emergency. Like you can see I’m dressed for the occasion…something has to be done and it seems like nobody (cares) and we keep complaining. They established a help desk, we called the help desk — you get no resolution.”

The Tribune’s attempts to get a comment from the Public Hospitals Authority were unsuccessful.