Published 8 February 2018
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
By: Media Source
Public Pressure by Dr. Drew results in temporary closure of contaminated Department of Labour
Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 8, 2018 – The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) caretaker for St. Christopher 8, Dr. Terrance Drew has welcomed the decision to temporarily close the Department of Labour as more employees have been tested for mould in their bodies.
“The temporary closure of the Department of Labour is good news. Good news not just for me and my patients, but it is good news for all the employees who have been working in that contaminated building and for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr. Drew during Wednesday’s edition of Issues.
For the past several weeks Dr. Drew, has been making public calls urging the Timothy Harris government, the Labour Minister Vance Amory and his Permanent Secretary, Ron Collins, to vacate the building and allow the employees and the public to stay away from the contaminated environment, until the corrective measures have been put in place.
Both Amory and Collins had refused to accept the medical certificates from employees who had complained of illness and who were tested positive for mould in their bodies.
Amory, who do not have an office in the building and whose health is not at risk, during a recent meeting of the National Assembly, accused the workers of faking their illnesses for political mileage and questioned the professionalism of their physicians.
Dr. Drew said tests conducted by the Bureau of Standards had found high levels of carbon dioxide after several employees became ill.
He said the Department of Labour is the gatekeeper for proper working conditions and environment in St. Kitts and Nevis and the biggest violation of improper working conditions was taking place within its four walls.
“When government acts callously and irresponsibly and without care and the right pressure is applied, they must respond,” said Dr. Drew.
Photo 1 – Dr. Terrance Drew
Photo 2 – Department of Labour and National Drug Council are located on the upper floor of this building
