Dear Public Officers,

Today I wish I was addressing you under different or more pleasant circumstances. How good it would have been had my address been on a positive outcome of negotiations between the Government of Dominica, DASPA, Solid Waste Corporation, Dominica Social Security, Public Works Corporation and others. A number of public officers would have been delighted if today my address was about informing you that a number of public officers are being appointed after close to a decade in temporary employment. Alas, this is not the case. Instead I find myself addressing you on the Coronavirus or the COVID19 pandemic, presently affecting people everywhere. Public Emergency Service and frontline health care workers are at the forefront confronting this crisis.

As your representative body the Dominica Public Service Union is within its right to speak on any and every issue on your behalf. It is its responsibility to take a proactive approach on any matter which may affect you and your family. It would be irresponsible on the part of the Union if we were to abandon our role.

In fact our position is that since this it is not normal times our concerns and the need to speak on your behalf is even greater.

Abnormal or non-normal times calls for creative ideas and recommendations. It should not be accompanied by hostility towards your union leaders who speak on your behalf. Personal attacks by those who know better should be forcefully condemned. To give the impression that the union’s concerns are not important and should be ignored because public officers are willing to do their utmost in the control of this pandemic should be ignored or vehemently condemned and renounced. It is utterly reprehensive to give the impression that the Union’s concerns are not important and should be ignored or ridiculed simply because patriotic public officers are ever willing to do their utmost in the management of this pandemic.

The fight against COVID19 requires the effort of every sensible Dominican. This is not a Government thing only. It crosses every political party or social strata. Every Dominican faces the risk of becoming infected whenever we have a first case of the virus.

A recent consultation on the matter provided us with the opportunity to raise some concerns, and to recommend actions which will provide some level of protection and safety, as well as support to our members including our health care providers and other public officers who will be exposed. We are also of the view that health and other workers who work hard to ensure the safety of the populace should be provided with reasonable incentive for the extra hard work and their service.

In our opinion a national consultation of that nature required our contribution to go beyond just talking about hand washing by our staff, wiping of desk tops and tables and using of gloves. These are basic practices which should be encouraged and practiced by all persons. The Union’s input far exceeds that level of discussion.

We have to focus on a number of other areas directly relevant to the employees we represent. Some of these were also presented at the consultation.

• Psychological support to those selected to care for COVID19 patients and to their immediate families especially in a situation where they will be away from their homes for an extended period.
• Incentive to doctors, nurses, ward aides and others providing care including overtime or special leave following their
• Discretionary or special sick leave to quarantined workers in order that they do not lose income because they would not be on official sick Many ideas are surfaced as to how their absence from work should be treated.
• The banks and credit unions should confide a grace period on loan repayments.

DPSU also wishes to echo recommendations shared by Public Service International PSI based on how the Peoples Health Movement and People Science Network in India addressed the situation: A People Charter to save lives, save livelihoods and respect human.

• Government to expand testing facilities and criteria for COVID –19. Testing should not be limited only to those with symptoms or who travelled to certain countries and those who come in contact with them. Any clinically suspected person should get tested.
• In the event that COVID-19 becomes a full-blown emergency, it would be necessary that all existing medical facilities be brought under centralized authority, including private health facilities.
• Immediate strengthening of disease surveillance by a major increase in capacity to test for this disease and to report on all seasonal flu and other fevered related deaths from all facilities.
• Ensure safe working conditions and adequate protective equipment for healthcare providers and support staff. These are to be provided not only in hospitals/health centres but also for frontline workers and those supporting home quarantine and isolation.
• When and if the population is placed under lock down or quarantine, special measures would need to be put in place to facilitate essential workers and ensure that this is done in a humane manner and without abuse to core human rights. Government should actively engage human rights institutions and civil society organizations and trade Unions to inspect and report back on standards of care and the problems that the most vulnerable populations face.
• Maintenance of routine economic activity, which primarily means safeguarding of the livelihoods of the majority, should also be acted upon as a public health priority. Public education should be ongoing and address the need to build solidarity in such times.
• There must be immediate increase in public expenditure that leads to widespread demand-side support in the form of increased social protection and food security. This should also ensure that health, fire officers and other service providers do not lack any of the basic necessities to efficiently perform their functions on a daily basis.

Unusual times require strategically innovative responses. An emergency session of Parliament should be convened for the approval of a special budget to deal with the preparation and campaign and looming crisis. In that budget, allocation should be included for financial support for members who may become unemployed for short or sustained period as a result of the impact of COVID19.

It is not premature to begin to talk about food security. In my opinion, the fact that we still have a window because we do not have a case as yet is the right time to address that issue. We encourage public officers, who have the space for back yard gardening to grow short term crops like vegetables. Government should have in stock adequate food items and medical supplies in the event that importation becomes impossible because of closed borders of countries from which we normally import.

Unless you have to do otherwise, put all traveling plans on hold. Avoid planning and participating in any mass gathering event.

If we fail to close our borders in order to protect our citizens, the outside world will do it for us. The cruise ships, the ferries and yachts, will on their own eventually cease their operations into Dominica as we have already seen. It may then be too late. Hence we must be proactive and do the sensible thing.

Your union’s leadership request of every one of you that you give your full support to government’s effort in dealing with the situation. On the other hand, we ask that you support the representation that we are making on your behalf. No one ventures into a battle without being fully prepared, united and equipped.

The World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization and other health institutions are providing health guidelines and strategies to deal with the matter. Industrial relation issues are distinctive matters, and Trade Unions are better qualified to deal with these matters. The DPSU in complementing the many public officers, who have so far been doing a fantastic job in educating the public with the limited resources at their disposal, is of the view that there are other issues which need to be addressed promptly.

All advice being given by health professionals as they relate to personal hygiene and other health practices must be adhered to.

Only a mere three months on the heels of a divisive national election and now being faced by this serious virus pandemic, which even if it does not reach our shores will never the less impact our economy and social well-being in significant ways, we must desist engaging in divisive personal attacks and impudence. Instead we should be united in our effort in declaring war on COVID-19 and our every public utterance should be progressive and cohesive.

As always our actions should be accompanied by fervent prayers. Dominica let us rid ourselves of all negativity and prejudice and derision and confront this head on. Let us stand strong with our Union and with our public officers as they deal with this scourge.

God bless you all.