ZNS Staff In Freeport Being Victimized
There was a sick out at ZNS Freeport last week over the fact that two months after the storm Dorian and with all other employees out of the building that they are housed in from all other agencies except ZNS, the staff is ill because of mold and the inattention of the Broadcasting Corporation and the Manager at Freeport Meadows. Stephen Farquharson, husband of one of the staff of ZNS Freeport, posted this message on his Facebook page 15 November 2019:
FOLKS: Breaking News !! ZNS staff is right now being victimized for taking part in the recent sick-out, staged by them, with respect to the mold which permeates the Government Complex here in Freeport. ZNS stafff was the only staff left in the complex because all the others vacated weeks ago. The FNM Meadows BOY, who claims he is in charge of ZNS Norther Service, has ordered Sheshena Rolle-Farquason and one Remeko removed from the front desk whatever the hell that means; I guess it’s a form of punishment, they tell me, for their part in the sick-out.
Getting punished for trying to preserve your health???????????? What kinda foolishness is this?????? Every other department has been moved to other places and ZNS staff has to be the news distributor and the victims????? What the hell is g
going on??????
The Chairman of The Progressive Liberal Party issued the following statement about the matter:
On Treatment Of ZNS Staff In Freeport
16 November 2019
For Immediate Release
Our party is deeply concerned about what is happening at ZNS in Freeport. The staff is reportedly suffering from the ill effects of mold in the building in which they work, following the Hurricane Dorian in September.
The report is that there was a sick out last week to force the management to deal with the matter. The local manager Darren Meadows has reportedly been unable or unwilling to deal with the matter, even after promising the Union representative that he would act.
The press is the guardian of our freedom. They are responsible for telling our story and letting the country know what the news is. When they are damaged then they are unable to do their job. This is all the more so with a publicly owned facility. This sounds like shocking neglect.
You have now a Minister for Disaster Relief, the Prime Minister. You have Iram Lewis the Minister of State for Disaster Relief and MP for Central Grand Bahama. Adding to the hurricane relief confusion you have Kay Forbes Smith, Senate President as coordinator. You have the MP for West Grand Bahama Pakeisha Parker who is also responsible for ZNS. You have the Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest who is also MP for East Grand Bahama. You have all these so called powerful people. And yet with all this power and all this bureaucracy, they can do nothing but let the people of ZNS Freeport suffer with teary eyes, coughing and infections.
All other agencies have moved out of the building. The staff have simply asked for adjustments to their work schedules to minimize the discomfort and illness. The hard hearts of the FNM have failed to act.
The PLP calls for immediate action by this FNM government.
The PLP calls upon them to act forthwith.
End