JULY 10TH, 2020 – JULY 17TH, 2020
Website: www.suntci.com
VOLUME 16 - NO. 28
Email: sun@suntci.com
Tel: (649) 348-6838
$1.00
Fax: (649) 941-3281
www.facebook.com/tcisun
HOSPITAL WON’T SAY IF STAFF TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 to its present tight-lipped by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief position, on two previous
T
he Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital/ Cheshire Hall Medical Centre has refused to confirm or deny reports that one of its medical staff has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Impeccable sources told The SUN that a medical staff member of the hospital was among the recent number of confirmed cases. According to our source, who requested anonymity, the hospital employee was a contact of another confirmed case who identified at least 79 persons with whom they had close contact. This newspaper contacted Nikira John, marketing and public relations manager of InterHealth Canada, for a comment on the issue. Three-and-a-half hours later, she responded by email, stating: “Given the ongoing concerns related to discrimination, employees right to privacy and confidentiality and the unfortunate negative experiences towards our staff since our last publication, InterHealth Canada has made the decision to not report on this type of sensitive information. We wish to assure the public that the relevant safety measures and public health measures are taken at all times in the best interest of employee and patient safety.” In stark contrast
occasions the hospital issued detailed press statements regarding its staff members and the deadly coronavirus. On Sunday June 21st, 2020, the hospital confirmed that an employee from the catering department at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre has tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day, after contracting the virus within the community. Then on Saturday, April 4th, 2020, the hospital stated that test results were negative for hospital employees who were in contact with a temporary worker who later tested positive for COVID-19 upon his return to the USA. Medical and other analysts are of the view that notwithstanding InterHealth Canada’s stated concerns about confidentiality and discrimination, it is incumbent on the hospital, or any institution which is funded by the public purse, to be transparent about any and all cases that involve staff. In the case of the cafeteria employee, the hospital stated that although the person was not responsible for food production, the “Refresh Cafeteria” at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre was closed “as a precautionary measure, while the necessary due diligence steps” continued with catering staff. During the closure period, the hospital conducted what
it described as “the usual deep sanitization and cleaning above the normal robust environmental procedures and controls” in conjunction with TCIG Environmental Health Department. It was also noted that since becoming aware of that particular result, the Ministry of Health - Public Health team commenced contact tracing and persons deemed close contacts of the employee were quarantined while authorities investigated the source an of the transmission. In a previous press statement, InterHealth Canada said that since the
onset of the COVID-19 peak period, employees, patients and visitors have been subjected to a COVID-19 screening questionnaire and temperature screenings in order to access the health care facility. All patients have been required to present to the emergency department entrance, and staff have a dedicated entrance and are also screened. However, according to the hospital, the cafeteria employee who tested positive in June, was asymptomatic while at work and therefore would have passed the screening process. Continued on page 2
Amory Chesterton arrested for imitation firearm after reports of gun pointed at locals on boat in Turtle Cove
Police on the scene of "Impulse" Villa in Turtle Cove. Nineteen-year-old Amory Chesterton was arrested on suspicion of possession of imitation firearm with intent to cause fear. Police press relations officer Takara Bain said Chesterton is currently on police bail while the investigation progresses. A local boat captain reported that an
expatriate man who was in a villa, pointed a rifle in the direction of a boat carrying a local family, including young children, on a cruise along the coastline in the Turtle Cove area on Wednesday, July 8th, 2020. Bain said that on Thursday, July 9th at 10:50 a.m., officers executed a search warrant on the villa Coconut Road, Turtle Cove
Amory Chesterton and several items relevant to the investigation were seized. When The SUN visited the area on Thursday July 9th, four police vehicles and several armed police officers were at the villa called “Impulse”, which investigations revealed, is normally occupied by expatriates Amy, Perla and Glen Chesterton.
Conserve Energy & Save! Try not to open the oven door too often to check on your food. Each opening could lead to a temperature drop of up to 25°C. Further information and energy conservation tips are available on our website: www.fortistci.com
www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313
Continued on page 2