When I saw my colleagues, the members of the Bermuda Police Service put down their batons and took to the street of the City of Hamilton in a public demonstration by marching in protest against what the Bermuda Police Association (B.P.A) considered as acts of blatant disrespect that was exhibited to its members by the government of Bermuda, I smiled with fascinated amusement.There is no doubt, the protest action which was organized and executed by the Bermuda Police Association was in deed a historic occasion; in that; it was the first time (according to my research) in the history of the Bermuda, that the police have ever; publicly and knowingly participated in a protest demonstration of any type.
What was unfortunate however, was that fact that it took money to inspire the Bermuda Police Association management committee to motivate its members to take to the street in a sign of defiance to the government’s action. However this only occurred after the Government of Bermuda failed to comply with the outcome of the arbitration which both parties entered into with good faith. This act of paramilitary defiance; came after the government opts not to honor the outcome of the arbitration, but instead, seek leave form the Supreme Court to prepare a Judicial Review which is aimed at overturning the decision which was arrived at during arbitration.
While the Bermuda Police Association exhausts its energies and other resources to ensure its members are well compensated, they ignore an issue of astronomical proportion. This crisis has been affecting and will continue to affect the members of Bermuda Police Association and it is an issue of life and or death for the B.P.A members.
According to the executive summary of the May 2003 study which was conducted by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constables (H.M.I.C) Mr. David Blakey, which states in paragraph 12 “Whilst officers have been given quite a range of safety equipment for use on patrol, they are less safe in the building that they work in, some of which are in contravention of the Health and Safety Code. H.M.C.I personal observation revealed not only was the building unsuitable and unsafe to work in and to take prisoners to, they were also in stark contrast to other government buildings in Bermuda.”
In recommendation 9, H.M.I.C recommended that the government of Bermuda examine its capital work projects to see if they can allocate funds to refurbish and or rebuild the police premises. H.M.I.C saw this issue as a serious problem that needed urgent attention to ensure the safety and welfare of all police, prisoners, and members of the public who visits and work in police premises.
The foresight and insight of H.M.I.C was tremendous. I am convinced that outgoing governor His Excellency Sir, John Vereka and out going Commissioner of Police Jonathan Smith knew of the reputation and trust the judgment of H.M.I.C hence the reason they commissioned H.M.I.C to conduct this study. Yet no one paid attention to the findings of in Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constable study.
I also managed to access a November 2006, air quality assessment study that was conducted by Bermuda Water Consultant ltd. (B.W.C) on the Hamilton Police Station. The revelation that is contained in this study is terrifying.
This study revealed that the ground floor of the Hamilton Police Station has a concentration of Mould and mould spores that is in excess of 29 times of the acceptable level. What was unfortunate however, is the fact that the report did not show the specific findings of the test that was conducted on the forth floor of the Hamilton Police Station in November 2006. This part of the Hamilton Police Station is where the Criminal Investigation Department is housed; it is believed, that this section of the building has the highest concentration of mold and mould spores than any other section in the entire building, so much so that the concentration of mould and their spores in this area, adversely affect the air quality to the extent that the air is tainted in that it transforms the air quality to a musty odor that permeate throughout entire vicinity.
According to the report there are seven different species of mould that inhabits the Hamilton Police Station which includes:
The Aspergillus is considered to be the most potent of the group; this mold produces among others, a toxin that is called Ochratoxin A, which is a key element in Kidney failure. This mold is also responsible for causing invasive and chronic pulmonary Asporgillosis which can lead to sudden and unexplained (if you do not know what to look for) death if allow to go undiagnosed.
a. Basidiospores
b. Ascospores
c. sercospora
d. caldosportum
e. curvularia
f. Smuits / Myxomycetes / periconia
Unfortunately there is not enough scientific study done on, or that is available to me on the other molds that will allow me to justify or match some of the other symptoms I have been hearing of.
I am therefore seeking answer for the following questions.
1. Could it be that the unexplained and sudden death of Timothy Herbert, Paul Marsden and Andrew Wooldridge (all healthy men, Marsden and Wooldridge were avid sports men) were as a results of a build up of toxin in their bodies which was resulted from prolong exposure to the mould infested police environment?
2. Could it be, that the sudden and unexplained diagnosis of severe kidney failure that was discovered in Emerson Donald, (who the medical professional predicted will have to be on dialysis in the next few years) was resulted from the prolong or periodic (some people has a disposition to become vulnerable to a toxin) exposure to mold and mold spores infested environment?
3. After all, when Donald complaint of becoming of ill when he was in certain police building; but found relief when he was out of those environment, it was recommended that Donald be evaluated for psychiatric abnormalities.
4. Could it be, that PC Donald body was giving him early warnings of an environment that was unhealthy for him; unfortunately no one took Donald seriously, not even the medical professional took this young husband seriously?
5. Could it be that the sudden diagnosis of Kidney failure in PC Julie is as a results prolong exposure to the mold infested environment (after all she worked at the Hamilton for quite a while) where she assigned?
6. What could have cause, the unexplained and sudden illness of my West Indian colleagues who had gone through a battery of medical testes just a few months earlier and was given a clean bill of health by his family medical practitioner and by the police doctor after a thorough review of his medical records to ensure that this young man was fit to come to Bermuda? Could it be his life threatening illness was as a result of a prolong exposure to a mold and mold spores environment?
7. Could it be, that the unexplained and prolong illness of PCs Raynor, Nurse and Smith, be as a results of the prolong exposure to the same unhealthy environment?
8. Could it also be, that the sudden and unexplained diagnosis of blood clod in both lungs of Wayne, be as a direct result of prolong exposure to the same unhealthy condition that all the others were and are exposed to? Although this could also be as a result of deep vain thrombosis; which I doubt.
For those of you who know PC Wayne as I do, PC Wayne is a fitness freak (jokingly speaking). However putting jokes aside, PC Wayne took his health seriously, he worked-out on a regular basis and he is careful with what he eat. After visiting with PC Wayne (who was thankful for being alive) he explained the whole unfortunate episode to me, which included the symptoms he was experiencing. P C Wayne’s symptoms were consistent to the symptoms that are associated with “Invasive and Chronic Pulmonary Asporgillosis” which are: slight fever, chest pain, coughing, tiredness and the excretion of mucus mixed with blood. Very often an excretion of mucus mixed with blood is a sign that there is blood present in the lungs; and anywhere in the body there is a presence of blood there can be clotting.
9. Could it also be that the unexplained diagnosis of PC Yard’s aneurysm, the unexplained and sudden heart attack of PC Ryan and the many more personnel who are suffering from unexplained medical complication was and is as a result of prolong and or periodic exposure to the unhealthy concentration of mould and mold spores infested environment the Government of Bermuda and the Bermuda Police Service requires that all police officers work in?
10. Could it be that the two occasions when Allan Palmer experienced the sudden inability to breathe during circuit training one severest bout that occurred while running the BPS training school steps (this was witnessed by Peter Clark who expressed concern) was also as a result of working for almost three years in contaminated environment?
11. Why did the B.W.C technicians felt the need to conduct follow up study on the 14th December 2006 on the 4th floor which houses the CID offices?
12. Why the B.W.C technician didn’t see the need to conduct follow up tests on the other floors and areas of the Hamilton Police Station.
13. Was there a post mortem done on Paul Marsden, Andrew Wooldridge and Timothy Herbert?
14. Did the pathologist order toxicology reports for these men?
A. If no, why not?
B. if yes, what was the results of that report?
C. was the total findings handed over to the family of these men?
D. can the B.P.A access these reports?
I have a sneaking suspicion that the report that was made available to the public was an altered copy; for one thing, the pages are not numbered.
15. This lead me to ask the powers that be this question, why didn’t you see it fit to give public access to the finding of the study, which was conducted on the 7th of November 2006 on the 4th floor of the Hamilton Police Station which is located at 42 Parliament Street, Pembroke and which houses the Criminal Investigation Department?
9. Could it also be that the unexplained diagnosis of PC Yard’s aneurysm, the unexplained and sudden heart attack of PC Ryan and the many more personnel who are suffering from unexplained medical complication was and is as a result of prolong and or periodic exposure to the unhealthy concentration of mould and mold spores infested environment the Government of Bermuda and the Bermuda Police Service requires that all police officers work in?
10. Could it be that the two occasions when Allan Palmer experienced the sudden inability to breathe during circuit training one severest bout that occurred while running the BPS training school steps (this was witnessed by Peter Clark who expressed concern) was also as a result of working for almost three years in contaminated environment?
11. Why did the B.W.C technicians felt the need to conduct follow up study on the 14th December 2006 on the 4th floor which houses the CID offices?
12. Why the B.W.C technician didn’t see the need to conduct follow up tests on the other floors and areas of the Hamilton Police Station.
13. Was there a post mortem done on Paul Marsden, Andrew Wooldridge and Timothy Herbert?
14. Did the pathologist order toxicology reports for these men?
A. If no, why not?
B. if yes, what was the results of that report?
C. was the total findings handed over to the family of these men?
D. can the B.P.A access these reports?
I have a sneaking suspicion that the report that was made available to the public was an altered copy; for one thing, the pages are not numbered.
15. This lead me to ask the powers that be this question, why didn’t you see it fit to give public access to the finding of the study, which was conducted on the 7th of November 2006 on the 4th floor of the Hamilton Police Station which is located at 42 Parliament Street, Pembroke and which houses the Criminal Investigation Department?
Why there were no test done on the other old (dilapidated) buildings that the Bermuda Police Service occupies?
Carl Neblett, I implore you to leave the fighting of the Government to your lawyers, there are more pressing and urgent matters for you and your association to be addressing, matters that needs your attention forthwith. These are far too many unanswered questions. I am recommending that you get in touched with each person whose name is mentioned in this article, including PC Emerson Donald, his lawyers Wakefield-Quin and Jack Thrasher, PhD (toxicologist). It is in the best interest off all involved that the members of the Bermuda Police Association is alive and in good Health to enjoy the hefty 7% retroactive back pay that is coming to them and the increase in salaries.
It is very important that you move quickly before the Government demolishes the building or the on going renovations completely rectifies the problem thus eliminating all possibility of ever recovering the evidence that can strengthen any case you and your B.P.A will be bringing on behalf of your members.
This study was ordered by the office of the commissioner of police, so it is fair to conclude that The Commissioner of Police knew of the findings of this report. It will also be fair to say that base on the potentially lethal finding of the study; the commissioner of police has an obligation to report his finding to the governor and to the government of Bermuda. if this is true why is it that the Commissioner of Police and the Government of Bermuda still have the members of the Bermuda Police Service still working in the death trap that is the Hamilton Police Station.
It is important to note that if any person dies as a result of complication cause by working in such environment then all involved should be charged for Acceleration of Death under section 282 of the criminal code.
282 A person who does any act or makes any omission which hastens the death of another person who, when the act is done or the omission is made, is laboring under some disorder, injury or disease arising from another cause; is deemed to have killed that other person.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the family of Paul Marsden, Timothy Herbert and Andrew Wooldridge has a wrongful death civil or a similar case against the Bermuda Police Service and the Government of Bermuda.
