MEC: Cockroach plague and lack of water reported in Port of Asunción buildings

Officials from Paraguay's Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) are raising serious concerns and demanding a halt to their relocation to a new building at the Port of Asunción. The move, intended to consolidate around 1,500 workers from various rented offices and save an estimated $1 million annually, has been plagued by significant issues since its commencement on June 18th.

The primary complaints, detailed in a formal request by the Sindicato de Funcionarios, Empleados y Docentes del MEC (Sifemec), include a severe cockroach infestation throughout the building. Officials are demanding fumigation and proper waste disposal systems, as garbage is currently being collected by staff and left outside due to a lack of designated areas. Furthermore, basic sanitation is compromised by a lack of running water in men's restrooms on multiple floors, intermittent water supply in women's restrooms, and widespread leaks and poor cleaning.

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We request that the cleaning system be in place on each floor because today the employees collect the garbage and deposit it outside the building, as there is no indication of where to leave the waste; we request fumigation of the building due to the number of cockroaches.

Beyond hygiene concerns, the officials highlight critical infrastructure deficiencies. These include insufficient parking, poor lighting in certain sectors, and malfunctioning elevators, which pose a risk to employee safety and accessibility. The union has formally requested information regarding municipal and fire department certifications, indicating a lack of essential safety and operational permits for the building.

These issues have led Sifemec to request a temporary suspension of the relocation process. They argue that the building is not yet habilitated to safely house the ministry's staff and operations. The situation underscores a significant administrative and logistical failure, potentially jeopardizing the efficiency and well-being of MEC employees as they are expected to transition into a facility that appears to fall short of basic workplace standards.

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We request a solution for the lack of water in the men's restrooms from floors 1 to 15, and in some floors the lighting system; we also request the cleaning and repair of water leaks in some restrooms.