sub new
{
  my $class     = shift;
  my $self      = fields::new($class);
  my %params    = @_;

  die "ID not defined\n" unless $params{ID};

  $$self{id}    = $params{ID};
  $$self{queue} = Thread::Queue->new();
  $$self{handler} = $handler_map{$params{HANDLER}};

  $$self{processThread} = threads->new(\&worker, \$self, %params);

  # Note: No need to explicitly bless the object, as it is already blessed.
  return $self;
}