Agricultural Exhibition will go on as scheduled, Director of Agriculture John Barnes yesterday told The Royal Gazette .

For the past two days Department of Agriculture and Fisheries workers, members of the Bermuda Industrial Union, have staged a series of sickouts to protest poor working conditions.

It is understood the job action is also in support of former Government Veterinarian trainee Dr. Susann Smith, whose contract with Personnel Services was terminated on April 4.

BIU President Derrick Burgess however refused to comment last night on the sickouts or what lay behind them.

"From what I've heard about 20 people have called in sick,'' said Mr. Barnes.

Other reports, however, have put that number at 23 BIU members.

And while the job action has slowed preparation for next week's Agricultural Exhibition he said, it has not thrown the fair into any imminent danger: "For the most part we're pretty close to being ready (for Saturday's equestrian qualifying rounds),'' he said.

Staff and teams of more than 700 volunteers have been working since early this year on display booths, seating, and other staging facilities at the Botanical Gardens -- the site of the exhibition, he said: "As far as I know the show will go -- unless someone tells me otherwise.'' Poor staff facilities -- including a leaky roof at the Botanical Gardens Visitors Centre -- is believed to have sparked the sickouts, said Mr. Barnes.

"Part of the building is for staff use and they've been unhappy with the state of repair for a while. We are working with (the Department of Works and Engineering) to have it fixed,'' he said.

Mr. Barnes was unable to say if sympathy for the ousted Dr. Smith was also a factor: "I don't know; I haven't heard a thing from the BIU.'' Management meanwhile is studying its options. Employees are allowed two days sick leave before having to bring in a medical certificate, he said, refusing to say what action, if any, would be taken against employees who stayed away beyond that.

"It's too bad. Their actions aren't really hurting the department, they're hurting the public,'' he said. This year's Agricultural Exhibition will feature over 2,800 exhibitors -- displaying various arts and crafts, cooking, woodworking, and agricultural flora and fauna.

All going well, the exhibits are scheduled to open on Thursday at the Botanical Gardens. Equestrian qualifying rounds start this Saturday, with novice and intermediate horse jumping and pony jumping. The show runs through to April 26.

UNIONS UNS HEALTH HTH