Pressured to keep quiet on mold issue within government institutions?
Fear of victimisation by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government, has forced teachers, auxiliary workers, parents, civil servants and civil society into silence as the mold infestation continues to cause illness and threaten their health.
As teachers, students and civil servants continue to fall ill, there are allegations of collusion among management of schools, the union, heads of department and the ministries of education and health to turn a blind eye and remain quiet in the face of increasing illness from mold.
Scores of government employees, teachers and students have tested positive for mold in their blood stream, way above the two percent limit. Over the past several months, persons have tested positive with percentages ranging from 20 percent to 45 percent.
Civil society has remained quiet, even after the sermon at the Independence State Service in Nevis by Methodist Church Superintendent, Rev Bonnie Byron, who in a rebuke of the authorities noted that “persons are afraid to speak their minds openly and honestly, less their frankness be rewarded with retaliation and victimization.”
It was also learnt on this past weekend that a student of the Estridge Primary School is the latest casualty of the mold infestation within the school. Test results showed mold in the student’s blood stream.
The Cayon High School and the Estridge Primary School were recently closed due to mold infestation.
A number of government buildings and offices have been affected by mld infestation over recent months. These include the General Post Office, The Department of Labour, The National Housing Corporation (NHC), the Verchild’s High School, the Department of Sport, The Media Centre and the VIP boxes at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium; The Ministry of Education moved its administrative offices to The Cable Building on Cayon Street.
The Administration Building at the main Burdon Campus of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) as well as the Technical and Vocational Division of the CFBC, Police Headquarters, the Basseterre Police Station, The Sandy Point Primary School, the Saddlers Secondary School and the Robert L Bradshaw International Airport.
