Resorts sign policies on HIV/AIDS in the workplace
The National AIDS Programme reports that four hundred and fifty new HIV infections were recorded in 2007. With tourism being touted as Belize’s largest employer, it is therefore not far fetched that some of those HIV positive persons are working in that sector. Recognizing that fact, today four resorts took a significant step towards aiding in prevention efforts and the reduction of stigma and discrimination. Kendra Griffith reports from the Chaa Creek Lodge in Cayo.
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Today was historic for four resorts and their employees as their owners and managers officially signed HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy documents.
Hertha Gentle Barber, Senior Labour Officer
“We’ve never had this many persons signing at the same time or taking HIV into such great consideration.”
The Ka’ana Resort Boutique, The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Five Sisters Lodge and Blancaneaux Lodge all have their reasons for embarking on the project… but their objectives are the same, contribute to the fight against HIV.
Ronaldi Martinez, Activities Supervisor, Blancaneaux Lodge
“It’s a global effort, so by us starting our policy and putting it in place and implementing it’s our little grain of sand, our effort in the global issue. It’s something that we are looking forward to involving ourselves more into community projects and conservation so this is something that it’s not going to help us only as staff, but we can go further and reach to our respective communities and pass on this information. So it’s definitely gonna—we’re gonna target our communities as well.”
Eva Garfield, Deputy General Manager, Ka’ana Resort Boutique
“It was very important for us to make sure have a policy that says if you are HIV positive, your job is protected. That’s the most important thing because the majority of people who have HIV can work.”
Nigel Richards, Resident Mgr., Five Sisters Lodge
“It was a great thing that the establishment realised HIV/AIDS as an epidemic that could have a mass potential in affecting our establishment because our human resources, of course, are the most important thing that makes our company go around. So it’s an active step in protecting them because the policy is an excellent rule of educating our staff. So we reviewed it among our management team and thought it was an excellent idea to take active step against this fight against HIV in the workplace.”
Lucy Fleming, G.M., The Lodge at Chaa Creek
“We have people amongst us, we have youths amongst us, we have employees amongst us who are probably infected. We want to look after their welfare and we want to recognise also, from a humanity standpoint, that they are facing very, very strong issues in today’s world and we want to stand beside them, we want to assist them, and we want to be part of the group who recognise and understand that together we can fight this issue and only together we can achieve that goal.”
The driving force behind the signing was as initiative started several years ago by the Labour Department. Hertha Gentle Barber is a Senior Labour Officer.
Hertha Gentle Barber
“When you look at who is the group that is affected, it’s the person who is between fifteen and forty-nine. So that is the person who is going to be coming into the workforce and the person who is already there. It has be a threat to the workforce and that’s why initiative like this makes it easier to prepare yourself.”
Lucy Fleming
“Many of those people will choose tourism as their career path and so when we look at that, certainly we have to face the fact that this will affect tourism employees in the future.”
Hertha Gentle Barber
“Having the workplace policy document generally prepares the organization so it doesn’t have to be wondering what will I do when HIV comes into my workplace. What you do is that you prepare form now. So whether you have a positive employee or not, what you are doing is providing education. It is more a preventative measure.”
Part of the programme also includes a two-day peer education training for key employees in the resorts.
Eva Garfield
“It’s important that they have somebody they can trust in the organization and even thought they can come to upper management, a lot of times they have this fear of being revealed. And so that’s why it’s important to have a peer counselling programme in the organization itself.”
Hertha Gentle Barber
“What we are doing here is all built on behaviour change because we recognise that there is a lot of information out there but even with the information there’s no change in behaviour. Our entire strategy is using B.C.B. or behaviour change communication.”
The Cahal Pech Village Resort is putting the finishing touches on their HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy and will sign it shortly. They encourage other similar businesses to do the same.
Caesar Quiroz, Floor Mgr., Cahal Pech Village Resort
“You have nothing to lose by doing this. It’s only something that you will gain and it’s for your staff and without your staff you can’t do anything.”
Hertha Gentle Barber
“HIV is more than a health issue; it’s a workplace issue. It’s something that along the way, it will cost you.”
Combined, the five resorts employ over three hundred employees. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.
According to Senior Labour Officer Hertha Gentle, this week Citrus Products of Belize signed their workplace policy. She reports that the Pelican Beach Resort, and Belize and Belmopan City Council also have policies in place.
