BARBADOS – Barbados’ overseas hotel workers program has received a “thumbs up” from yet another Canadian hotel.
Officials of Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Collingwood, Ontario, who hired some 20 Barbadian workers last year are so pleased with their performance that the company is now seeking to employ an additional 30 locals.
Three representatives of Blue Mountain, Human Resources Advisor, Shelly Tripp; Human Resources Manager, Janet Hammond; and Manager of Housekeeping, Robyn McCoy; are in the island for one week to recruit workers for a number of positions for the upcoming winter season.
On Monday, September 17 they met with officials of the Ministry of Labour, led by Minister Rawle Eastmond, at its Warrens, St. Michael, headquarters.
He was joined in discussions by Permanent Secretary, Carston Simmons; Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Yolande Howard; and Chief Labour Officer, Edla Lowe.
Ms. Tripp praised the workers for their commitment and hard work, noting that this augured well for the future of the Ministry’s hotel workers program.
“The fact that we are increasing our numbers speaks volumes. We are optimistic we can reach that number of persons and we are expecting a high number of returnees as well,” she said.
Minister Eastmond said he was thrilled by the positive response of the employers, adding that his ministry would seek to have those workers who have done well in Canada share their experiences and advise those newcomers who were joining the program.
The overseas program employs hundreds of Barbadians at hotels across Canada and the southern United States. They work in a variety of positions, including room attendants, servers, cooks, housekeepers and some managerial posts.
