The Guyanese Workers’ Union is sounding the alarm on the deplorable working conditions for staff in decentralized state services. Some premises are said to be unsanitary, such as that of the logistics and IT department located at the Caserne Loubère in Cayenne.
Nikerson Perdius and Karl Constable • Published January 6, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., updated January 7, 2024 at 5:56 a.m.
The Loubère barracks is a building classified as an architectural heritage. She hosts the logistics and IT department of State services made up of around thirty agents located at the rear of the building. The UTG union denounces the dilapidation of the premises as well as working conditions considered deplorable.
Visiting with Yannick Xavier, secretary general of the UTG, we see on the ground floor computer equipment stored, preventing any use of the space by staff. This place is originally a dusty refectory where pallets of documents dated from the 2022 presidential election are also stored.
The refectory of the Loubère barracks • ©Karl Constable
The agents occupy the 1st floor of the building. They installed a living space with a coffee maker, microwave and kettle. Devices they bought themselves…and who are exposed to pest droppings.
The general secretary of the UTG indicates having demanded, more than a year ago, a diagnosis of buildings, particularly for asbestos and lead. He also calls for other measures.
For the UTG, emergency rehabilitation work had to be carried out to accommodate the first agents. Eventuallyother personnel from different state services must occupy the Loubère barracks following the total release of the Armed Forces of Guyana.
When contacted, state services indicated that there was no immediate danger for the agents. Studies on the building have been carried out, says Mathieu Gatineau, Secretary General of State Services in Guyana. He also adds that the results were transmitted and that measures were taken to ensure that the establishment complied.
In terms of comfort and cleanliness, we have a cleaning service every day in the Loubère barracks as in all state services.
State services specify that rehabilitation work of the Loubère barracks must start in 2025 to a total cost of 54 million euros.
The long-term project of the administrative city plans to go from 19 to 5 sites. At the end, the Loubère barracks alone should accommodate 350 agents.
2024-01-07 12:26:40
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