SVG Audit Office: Mould infestation and Staff Health Concerns
The mission statement of SVG’s Audit Office is “Our mission is to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by conducting independent audits and report on how government is managing its responsibilities and resources.” Whose job is it to ensure that the human resources who currently staff the Audit Office is in a healthy, mould-free environment that is conducive to life and work?
Mould has plagued the Audit Office for some time and has worsened, affecting several employees of the 37-person Autonomous department. Recently, there have been reports of multiple respiratory issues, headaches, and sudden unpleasant feelings (nausea).
Among all of these recent issues, the captain of the ship, the Director, has chosen to leave the state and go to an overseas audit with a family member (who has less than three years in the Audit Office but was recently promoted to a Senior Audit Officer II post, aka a Manager). While the director and family member are overseas, the audit staff are left in dire, mould-infested conditions to fight for their health.
Public Health officials already conducted an assessment of the Audit Office and indicated that the building is mould infested and that the building has done its time. Why are audit staff still required to work in these conditions that have seriously impacted their health?
To compound the issue, trade union activist and political enthusiast Mr. Jackson visited to assess the mould situation and indicated that all that is needed is some cleaning and a fresh coat of paint.
Why is a trade unionist and political enthusiast conducting an assessment after public health made an assessment? Why is someone who doesn’t seem to have any public health experience evaluating the mould’s condition? As far as I know, he does not represent public health or government employees (that is the job of the Public Service Union). Who authorized Mr. Jackson to assess the mould?
Mr. Jackson’s “assessment” was different from that of trained public health officials. He indicated that all that is needed is essentially some paint.
Is Mr. Jackson being compensated for performing his apparently non-academic and inexperienced evaluation?
Will he receive a contract after his assessment to paint over the mould?
Where is the director during this period of uncertainty and worry? Oh, in foreign, with the mother of her nephew. The ship is left to sink while the captain and first mate conduct audits in a wonderful and mould-free environment overseas, while inexperienced and unqualified personnel assess the deadly mould situation, and audit staff are left to contract mould and all its deadly symptoms.
Someone please help audit.
