Shameful! Civil servants @ HC Registry using face masks on the job!
It is now reported and seen by several eyewitness that because of the poor working and dilapidated conditions of the High Court Registry offices located in the Old Administration Building on Main Street in Road Town, Tortola where both the public and civil servants use, the area is now unsafe.
Many workers have been observed wearing face masks to protect themselves from the dust, mold and other unhealthy particles.
Photos taken by our Team of Reporters showed dilapidated ceilings, collapsing roofs and what appears to be electrical wires that should be hidden.
Unsafe for Staff & Public
While staff members were afraid to speak to our newsroom because of fear of victimisation, they were visibly disturbed by the conditions that are unsafe and deplorable.
Three staff members were observed wearing the masks over their mouth and nose. The Registry of the High Court comes under the Deputy Governor’s Office, with the Governor's Office having some responsibility.
A call to the Registrar of High Court, Mrs Erica Smith-Penn, on the matter was not returned.
Our newsroom spoke to a senior civil servant on the matter who said “I was told that they should be moving shortly but only God knows when as it comes back to the same thing, no money”.
A lawyer who uses the facility regularly told our news room “only in the BVI they could get away with having public officers working in that unsafe and unhealthy situation …in some other jurisdictions Health and Safety inspectors would have already shut down the building and ask workers to stay home….but this is Tortola..”
Acting Deputy Governor Mrs Rosalie Adams could not be reached for comments as of time of publication.
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27 Responses to “Shameful! Civil servants @ HC Registry using face masks on the job!”
I was in to check a case yesterday and i saw this with my own 2 eyes...Pappy this is sicken ..appalling SMH
and important to protect. This is demolition by neglect. Don't do anything and let it fall down so the government can put in a sky scraper and change the whole waterfront and character of Main St. Save that building by fixing it!!
There is a minimum cost of ownership in owning a building. If you own it you have to maintain it. Facility experts suggests on average investing 2-4% of building replacement value on maintenance and repair annually to get the reliability, functionality and design life cycle. This building is a taxpayer asset/investment and it must be preserved and protected.
Moreover, the old Adminstrative Building is more than 50 plus years and should be on a historical register. As such, it should be preserved as close to its original construction state as practical. The employee wearing the mask tells a serious tale and concern, screaming for attention and a solution.