Former Education Minister in the SKNLP administration and now Opposition Senator, Hon Nigel Carty, is commenting on findings reported by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Senator Carty called in to Freedom Fm’s popular talk show “Issues” on Tuesday afternoon to provide his perspective on the report. Carty, who had met with harsh criticism over his governments handling of the reports of illnesses at the school, said that the NIOSH report served as clear vindication for the then government.
Carty Noted that NIOSH was only commissioned after repeated calls for the then government to conduct more test on the grounds of the school as previous test conducted by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in 2014 were unable to pinpoint a specific cause for the symptoms.
Dated June 2015, the NIOSH report outlined the group’s investigation and evaluation of the school. It also made recommendations to the school’s officials and students.
Essentially, all 12 buildings on the school’s campus were surveyed and it was found that although there was water damage in some classrooms, there was no widespread mold or lead present.
The report advised that active roof leaks be fixed and a Health and Safety Committee be set up as well as a system for employees to report building concerns.
It was also mentioned that it is important for employees to report signs of water intrusion and work-related health concerns.
The Basseterre High School was closed late 2014 in response to ongoing indoor environmental quality concerns. At the time the school was closed, staff concerns reportedly included skin irritation, fungal infections, coughing, headaches, thickening of skin, vertigo, cancers, and miscarriages.
School officials had reported that the concerns decreased when the staff moved to another school.