San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation transport yard employees are raising alarms over dangerously unsanitary working conditions and systemic operational failures that threaten both worker health and public service delivery. Workers interviewed on January 22nd detailed multiple health hazards including a chronically overflowing cesspit, mosquito infestations from stagnant water, and inadequate sanitation facilities.
The situation has created a perfect storm of health risks, with one employee confirming he contracted dengue fever on the compound in early 2025. ‘We control mosquitoes at home, but here we’re bitten from morning to afternoon,’ he described. ‘You leave itchy, lumpy, and in discomfort.’
Beyond health concerns, workers highlighted critical operational deficiencies. The yard faces severe vehicle maintenance issues, with many government vehicles operating without proper inspection, logbooks, or safety certifications. Employees reported being penalized for refusing to operate faulty equipment, while simultaneously having their allowances withheld and hours cut for not remaining on the hazardous premises.
Workers identified these problems as symptomatic of broader institutional failure, criticizing both management and successive administrations for neglecting what they call ‘the backbone of every corporation.’ The transport yard handles essential services including emergency response, garbage collection, and construction material delivery across some of the region’s most challenging terrain.
Despite previous complaints to management, union representatives, and councilors, no corrective action had been taken. When contacted by Newsday, Corporation Chairman Richard Walcott and the CEO both claimed unawareness of the issues, promising immediate resolution while acknowledging the corporation’s cesspool truck was currently non-operational.