St Ann’s cooks back at work

Cooks at St Ann’s Hospital returned to work yesterday, and prepared a meal of black-eyed peas and rice with tuna for patients on low-salt diets, and corned beef for the others. However they are on “go slow” until they see the resumption of renovations at the old kitchen. “We heard in two weeks they are to be starting up there. If nothing is done, we are going back outside,” said one of the cooks who was part of a protest action which started last week after a stove caught fire last Tuesday.   Approximately 1,000 meals are required for patients, menus are limited to fast cooking foods that can be prepared using the two stoves (the third stove is out of use since it caught fire last week) and braising pans. Due to protest action by staff on Wednesday, meals were ordered from other health institutions.

St James Medical Complex supplied breakfast, while pelau was prepared by Mt Hope Women’s Hospital. Newsday learnt that lunch was served at 4 pm. Although they are back on the job, the cooks are still concerned with existing conditions. “I appreciate all the cleaning, but all I want is my new kitchen. Inside here is too hot.” On Wednesday, the Public Services Association (PSA) gave Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Reynold Cooper, a deadline of today (for the latest) to see that the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) deals with specific areas of concern that do not need to go through the tendering process. They were: install new fire extinguishers, stop the leak in the gas line, replace the stove which caught fire.

The PSA also demanded action on the single doorway which is both entrance/exit, and replacement of the old boiler. Cooper told Newsday that the NWRHA had arranged for the purchase of two new extinguishers, and stopped the leak in the gas line. “The stove could work but not the oven. They got parts to replace in the stove,” he said. Cooper said a private company was called in to clean the “sludge and dirt” from the kitchen and extractor. The area was also painted. He said public health inspectors viewed the area and said it was okay. Three new boilers will be purchased but it will go out to tender. Cooper gave the NWRHA approval to order the boilers and advised them to write a formal request. The contract for the completion of the kitchen was to be awarded yesterday.