Our Frontline Worker of the Week is… Attendant Dexter Williams

Dec 06, 2020 News

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“I just pray and ask God for his mercy, grace, protection and blessings to keep me, my family, friends and other loved ones safe and healthy.”

By Sharmain Grainger

Kaieteur News – As distressing as it may seem, COVID-19 just might be here to stay and mankind, even though there is some reluctance, will have to fully adapt to some safety measures, if survival is the ultimate end game.
But even as some continue to tempt fate, believing that the disease caused by the novel Coronavirus is still just a hoax, even after claiming the lives of far too many people across the globe, there are those among us who know better.
Among them are the frontline health care workers, heroes in their own rights, who by virtue of their employment, have been placed in the heat of the battle.
Cases of infection and consequent deaths have been steadily rising, but not for the want of fighting.
Among those helping to temper the full brunt of the disease on our dear land, is Dexter Williams.
Although he has been employed as a professional attendant for the past 20 years, for the past eight Williams has been the Operations Manager at Cleaners R’ US (CRU), a cleaning company contracted by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
In fact, Williams, because of this position, since the onset of COVID-19, is tasked with being a team captain at the hospital.

FEARLESS AND SKILFUL
Although a Guyanese by birth, Williams, back in the day, was able to experience the American dream. For reasons, he did not intimate, at some point, life steered him back to his homeland. It just so happened, that it was in time for him to prepare to help wage war against a dreaded pandemic.
Since being named among the frontline workers in the healthcare system, Williams is confident enough to conclude that he has seen some of the best and most compassionate health care workers at the GPHC.

Complementing their efforts, he said, are the attendants and housekeepers of CRU, who according to Williams, are fearless and skilful at what they do. This means, he said, that the COVID-19 team he heads, can work in a swift and timely manner when around positive or suspected cases.
Williams, indeed, is a quite versatile employee and this becomes evident by the ease with which he takes on responsibilities, including the training of his cleaning team to properly use and remove PPEs. Added to this, Williams said: “I am responsible for the transiting of the positive patients into the COVID ICU, or suspected cases to the transitional unit. I am also responsible for the housekeepers who are trained to go into any infectious area, clean the area and come back out, without being infected. I am also responsible for the sanitation workers of CRU who go into these areas for the removal of all infectious waste.”
Based on governing rules and regulations, as set out by CRU’s founders, Tyrone Anthony and Andrew Braithwaite, the cleaning company is mandated to spray, fumigate, disinfect, carbolize, and sanitize all infectious areas.
When asked what made him suitable for the job, Williams quickly quipped: “My experience and my ability to lead as the company’s Operations Manager.”
And it helps, too, he added, that the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and other heads of departments and staffers “have all been wonderful people to work with and learn from.”

DESTINY UNFOLDS
Ushered into the world on September 16, 1969, no one had any inkling that after being exposed to life in Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown and Brooklyn, New York, that Williams’ future exploits included becoming a veteran attendant at the country’s premier public health facility.
After all, his father, Victor Williams, was a carpenter, and his mother, Brenda Lyken, was a pastor and entrepreneur.
The third of seven children born to the couple, Williams attended school both here and the US. Ever since he was a young boy, he had a passion for things music and sports.
But his suitability for the job he now holds, Williams said, is as a result of training in patients’ observation and biohazard waste and infectious clean-ups he received in New York. Also, at the GPHC, compliments of Dr. Joanna Cole, he received training to deal with the Ebola virus and PPE safety and protection.
However, it wasn’t by his own volition that he joined the ranks at CRU.
“Mr. Tyrone Anthony and Mr. Andrew Braithwaite, the founders of Cleaners R’ US, are the reason I am in the position that I am in now. As a cleaning company that has catered to many places such as GPHC, the Balwant Singh’s Hospital, the Palms, Qualfon, the Stadium, the Cliff Anderson Sport Hall, etc.; after all of these encounters to provide a safe and healthy environment for people, the decision and path was made clear for me,” Williams shared.
Since COVID, he said, the greatest lesson he has learnt is “how to care and help those who cannot care or help themselves and how to work along with GPHC’s finest set of doctors and nurses, along with CRU attendants and housekeepers.”

FAITH IN GOD
As he carries out daily duties, Williams admitted that he does worry about contracting the novel Coronavirus. Instead of being consumed by fear, he said: “I just pray and ask God for his mercy, grace, protection and blessings to keep me, my family, friends and other loved ones safe and healthy.”
In fact, he revealed that it has been his faith in God that has kept him going.
“God first and foremost, then the will to help and to make a difference in the face of this epidemic,” said Williams who tries to keep safe as far as possible by wearing PPEs, washing his hands and strictly avoiding social gatherings.
“It is work and home for me,” said Williams, who revealed that “since COVID-19, I don’t get to spend much time with my family. I am on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week…I literally work seven days a week,” he intimated.
Whatever spare time he has in between, Williams shares with family members, especially his young son, Jonathan, who he described as his “pride and joy.”
It could be deduced that Williams’ true reason for wanting to safeguard himself is nestled in the love for his son.
“Whatever time I get with my family, particularly my son, I make it count,” said Williams who takes time each day to learn facts about COVID-19. “I am big on education, self-awareness, and empowerment that helps to empower others,” said Williams, who is today being aptly bestowed with our title of ‘Frontline Worker’ of the Week.

 

 

 

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