Calling it catastrophic management, health care workers at the Scarborough General Hospital (SGH) described the actions taken by higher authorities, following Friday’s freak storm in Tobago, as horrendous. Workers have described the handling of the predicament as insanely poor management, as many workers shared the haphazard approaches that were taken in attempts to address the effects of the storm.

Describing the events that happened on Friday, employees reported to the Public Services Association (PSA) that tents, which were being used to conduct covid-19 tests, blew down subsequent to the inclement weather, as such, the staff was relocated to outpatient clinics (OPC). What concerned the health care staff, was that covid-19 patients, during this time were using staff washrooms. According to the employees, because of a lack of proper infrastructure and planning, both staff and positive Covid-19 patients were using shared spaces. The staff reported that they are once again frustrated with the ineptness of management. They stated that such a lack of proper management continued to pose further threats to their health and safety.

Industrial Relations Officer, Hayden Darren Duke, visited the site where the tents were blown down and patients were left outside the compound. According to IRO Duke, there was no real planning in treating the effects of the storm. In a most recent update this morning, workers reported that the spaces have now been sanitized and clinics have been reopened, however, employees remain concerned about the consequences that may follow, subsequent to Friday’s lack of leadership and proper management.