Is the Audit Office of SVG a safety hazard?

28.JAN.11

Editor: Upon a recent visit to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Audit Office, I was most surprised and immediately disgusted upon the realisation of the true working conditions that staff are subject to on a daily basis.{{more}}

The Audit Office is located on Egmont Street in a building it shares with the National Commercial Bank. The building is cramped and is literally bursting at the seams, with very little space for staff to work and move about. Staff have had to be placed in the most obnoxious of places in order to make room, namely in front of the washroom.

The Audit Office consists of 4 departments, affectionately referred to as Teams; Support, which deals with the administrative business of the Office; Revenue, which audits Revenue collecting departments; Service, which audits the service, providing departments, and the Statutory team, which audits statutory bodies of the Civil Service.

The Audit Office is home to over 30 employees. The department consists of one door that is used for both entrance and exit, one bathroom for male employees and one for female employees. Of the 30 plus employees stationed at this facility, there are only 3 males on staff, leaving 20 plus females to form long lines to gain access to the washroom.

Upon further enquiry, it became very clear that all surrounding departments had already vacated, leaving the Audit Office in these unsanitary conditions, with little or no interest to move. One worker said to me that roaches and rats raid the office at night, leaving their droppings behind, which staff must clean up on mornings.

PM, this is a serious matter and needs all of the attention it can attract. The Audit Office of SVG is what I would graphically describe as a dumping ground, where staff are cramped daily and rodents play at nights. Something needs to be done!

It’s time for the relocation of the Audit Office. Come on, Director of Audit, fight for the relocation of your staff!!!

Concerned Citizen