‘Band-Aid’ on building
Workers protest conditions of facility but administrator general insists office space not ‘sick’
Published:Saturday | July 12, 2025 | 12:11 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
Amid yesterday’s protests from some employees over mould, poor air quality, and ventilation issues at the Administration General’s Department (AGD), the head of the entity is declaring that the building is not a “sick building” and that extensive work is being done to address the concerns.
“The last report from the Ministry of Health said the building is not a sick building, but there are steps that need to be taken to remediate,” said Chief Executive Officer Stacie-Ann Carty, who, when asked for a copy of the report, advised and pointed The Gleaner to Access to Information.
Carty, the administrator general, detailed that, since 2019, multiple air quality tests have been conducted by private firms and the Ministry of Health & Wellness, and that these tests identified issues including ventilation problems and moisture infiltration through cracks in walls and faulty windows.
A group of workers who gathered at the entrance to the building protested the poor condition of the facility yesterday by staying off the job after signing in to work.
The workers, through their union, the Jamaica Civil Service Association, complained that the condition – which has been exacerbated by the work being done on the fifth floor – is causing them to get sick.
Noting that the workers have suffered long enough, the association’s second vice president, Kelvin Thomas, said, “Persons report coming to work, and immediately as they come in, they start to feel sick. Persons would have had a Zoom meeting last night, and different workers would have shared the medical impact that the building would have had on them.
“Persons reported having burning eyes, tightening of the stomach, difficulty breathing – so these are not tales. These are facts. And what has happened is that the management is just treating it as if it’s business as usual.”
LONGSTANDING ISSUE
According to him, the matter is a longstanding issue and has been exacerbated by fumes and dust caused by the construction work currently being done on the fifth floor, which has resulted in a worker being rushed to the hospital last week and admitted.
He said the Ministry of Health has confirmed the presence of mould in the building, and the union has been furnished with that report. He insists that conditions have now become untenable.
Thomas, however, expressed frustration with the pace and scope of management’s response.
“This building has been known to have issues for years, but there’s been no meaningful remedy to correct the matter. It’s just like putting a Band-Aid on a serious wound,” he said.
However, Carty outlined that extensive and urgent remediation efforts are underway to address the problems and ensure a safe working environment.
“To fix the mould, you first have to address the source of moisture,” Carty explained. “Repairs to internal and external walls, as well as window replacements on the third and fifth floors, are either completed or in progress.”
She added that scaffolding has been erected on the exterior as part of the repair works, with the final phase of window replacement on the fifth floor scheduled to begin this weekend. Following these structural fixes, professional mould cleaning will commence.
“The last report from the Ministry of Health said the building is not a sick building, but there are steps that need to be taken to remediate the issues. Based on the current schedule from the UDC, the landlord responsible for the building, we expect all major repairs and remediation to be completed by July or early August – roughly within the next three weeks,” Carty stated.
She added that new air-conditioning units will also be installed to improve ventilation and climate control in the affected areas.
Carty also highlighted measures to protect staff during the remediation period.
“Flexible work arrangements, including remote work and compressed schedules, have been implemented to reduce the number of employees physically present,” she said. “We encourage all staff whose duties do not require on-site attendance to take advantage of these options to minimise exposure and maintain productivity.”
In addition, she noted a partnership with Downtown Medical to provide medical support and reimbursement for work-related health issues.
“We take the health and safety of our employees seriously and are committed to supporting them throughout this process.”
However, Thomas has called for immediate action.
“We are urging management to evacuate the affected floors immediately and provide safe, alternative workspaces for all staff. Workers should never be forced to choose between their health and their jobs.”
He criticised management’s approach as reactive rather than proactive.
“Previous tenants like the Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of National Security abandoned this building because of these problems.”
In the meantime, Thomas said the JCSA has since written to the Ministry of Labour seeking an urgent meeting with management, but, up to news time yesterday, he said he was still awaiting a response and was anticipating one by Monday.
Carty, however, said the department has always had an open communication line with the union and is willing to have a meeting. She also indicated that no concerns were highlighted when they last spoke with the union up to this past Monday and that no one from the agency had reached out to her yesterday.
Meanwhile, when asked how the protest had affected work, she said even though there was a protest, operations continued.
“We had quite a few persons who were still at work, working because it’s a client-facing business, and our clients are still served through the phone and on premises. So there are some persons who have not opted to engage in any industrial relations or any form of protest.”
She also sought to reassure workers that there is light at the end of the tunnel and appealed for their understanding while the matter is being addressed.
The AGD manages estates where it has been appointed executor by court order or other means, as well as estates without an appointed executor, and those left intestate (without a will) involving minors. It safeguards the interests of minors, beneficiaries, and creditors associated with these estates.