Gov't staff moved out of mouldy buildings

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Gov't staff moved out of mouldy buildings

Bermuda Sun - Bermuda*

http://www.bermudasun.bm/main.asp?

SectionID=24 & SubSectionID=270 & ArticleID=37806 & TM=72179.23

The public service is increasingly disjointed and dispirited because

Government has failed to get a grip on its " sick building " crisis,

according to those on the front line.

Police officers, teachers and health staff have all been shuffled in

and out of temporary offices as buildings have been closed due to

mould. The situation is having a very real impact on the way the

country is run, with civil servants demoralized and hampered in

their jobs. Prison officers are the latest to bear the brunt — 10

officers and six administrative staff are being evicted from the

Department of Corrections in Happy Valley because their building has

been declared unsuitable for human habitation. Staff had been

complaining of sore throats, headaches, and other ailments that may

have been caused by mould.

The Department of Works and Engineering is working to relocate the

staff as a matter of priority, the Bermuda Sun understands. However,

with dozens of other buildings also suffering mould problems,

environmental safety officers are struggling to find a new home for

the Department of Corrections. It is likely the team will be split

between several small and separate locations. The new arrangement

will be similar to one suffered across the police force. With

existing police stations either abandoned or dilapidated, various

departments have been farmed out to temporary offices.

Evidence destroyed

The Forensic Support Unit was moved out of the aging Hamilton Police

Station earlier this year, but not until mould had destroyed

photographs and several other pieces of evidence that were needed in

forthcoming criminal trials. A police officer, who did not wish to

be named, said: " The roof was leaking for a long, long time. Mould

started to grow — a lot of mould was clearly visible. "

The officer said that no criminal trials were affected because the

force had already photographed evidence before it was destroyed.

Negatives of the photographs destroyed were saved because they were

kept in a separate location, the officer said. However, the

department's new temporary offices, at St. 's police station,

are far from ideal. " We're still not settled, " the officer

said. " The building is new, but we have very little space; we are

cramped. Morale has been affected here, certainly. "

Craig e, head of the Prison Officers Association, said of the

Department of Corrections crumbling, mouldy building: " We are still

understaffed, morale is low, and working conditions have to be a

part of that. People come to work complaining of sore throats,

headaches — people suspect it's because of the mould. You spend a

few days away from the office and you start to feel much more

energetic.

Nowhere to go

" This building has been sick for a long time. But they can't find

anywhere to put us. There is no point moving people from one mould-

infested building to another mould-infested building. Government has

a crisis on its hands. Politicians come and go; but civil servants

run the country. If we can't do our jobs effectively, that affects

everyone. "

Lt. Col. Burch, Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing,

admitted that forensic evidence being destroyed was an indication of

how bad the problem had become. " It's a critical sign, " he

said. " Unfortunately, the state of them [police buildings] is not

unique to them [the police.] A similar problem exists across the

Government estate. "

Asked how many buildings across the public service were affected,

Lt. Col. Burch said: " Plenty. I have no idea how many. We

[Government departments] have to stand in line with Works and

Engineering, screaming and shouting [for building maintenance]. "

Asked if Government must shoulder the blame for allowing the problem

to reach its current state, Lt. Col. Burch said: " There has been a

certain level of neglect. And also maintenance has not had the

resources, in terms of personnel. We accept that over the last two

or three years we have not put the resources into it.

" But there has certainly been neglect for longer than 10 years. Both

governments must take responsibility. " Lt. Col. Burch said that the

police service's problems will be largely solved by the new $70

million headquarters currently being built in Hamilton and due to

come online next year.