Party for Progress member of Parliament Melissa Gumbs sent a letter with
questions to Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, asking for an update on the maintenance of the
Government administration building. Gumbs submitted these questions due to reported issues
by several civil servants about breathing and other respiratory issues they’re facing due to what
they believe is the presence of mold in the building’s air-conditioning system.
Gumbs asked the Prime Minister to clarify who is responsible for the maintenance of the
Government building, and asked for an update on the last time the building’s facilities
department investigated and tested the building’s systems to determine if civil servants were
breathing clean air.
“Large buildings often face challenges when it comes to humidity and condensation, particularly
in these types of climates,” Gumbs said in her letter. “These challenges can lead to there being
the presence of mold inside vents and cooling systems. I’ve asked the Prime Minister to share if
this may be the cause behind the many complaints that especially ground floor civil servants
have, regarding issues with breathing, brain fog and other respiratory-related problems.”
MP Gumbs continued by asking the Prime Minister to clarify what solutions were available for
those civil servants who were proven to be experiencing respiratory complications, considering
that prolonged exposure to poor environments would lead to delayed recovery.
“For some persons, the impact of breathing poor quality or contaminated air will be immediate,”
Gumbs said. “For others, issues may develop later in life, long after they’ve left the building(s)
they were in. This is why it is critical to continue to scan buildings, particularly after hurricanes or
tropical storms, where damage may have brought moisture into the space and ensure there is
no infestation that could impact our people.”
Gumbs noted in her statement that in the future, she advocates for there being an in-depth
assessment of the impact of long-COVID on not just civil servants, but on the bulk of the
country’s workforce, knowing that it can be the cause of heart, lung and nerve issues. She
expressed to the Prime Minister that she hoped to receive his responses as soon as possible.
MP Gumbs Submits Questions to PM About Government Building Maintenance
