One employee at the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation said employees are scared as there has been an apparent covid-19 outbreak and nothing is being done.

Reaching out to PSA media, the member of staff said that there are currently 6 cases in the corporation but employees are being victimized if they avoid going to work in order to protect themselves.

PSA Media contacted the Acting CEO of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation Valerie Bodcom who disputed this and explained to us that they are simply following instructions by the Permanent Secretary.

Acknowledging that employees have a right to take a PCR test, she said that employees are not following the procedure which is to report to the Chief Medical Officer of Health. That way a quarantine order will be provided to the corporation. Instead, she added that when persons go for a PCR test on their own, many of times they do not quarantine at home and return to work; Thus contributing to the spread of the virus. 

 “We have a presence of persons in the corporation who are positive, we have to look after ourselves,” she said.

Broadcom explained, “The proper procedure is if you are showing symptoms, you go to the CMOH, you go to the doctor and do the necessary test. I cannot send people on quarantine.”

Aware of the current situation, she gave assurances that sanitization is performed twice every week.

She further stated, “Since someone was tested positive, we sanitized Friday, we sanitized yesterday, and we’re going to sanitize again today.”