BVI, 29 June 2016 - One hundred and twelve employees from the Little Dix Bay Resort have received employment following the closure of the facility for renovations on May 1.
Forty-eight businesses have provided employment for the workers and Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, has expressed his Government’s gratitude to the businesses for this assistance.
Premier Smith in an invited comment on Wednesday, June 29 said, “I am pleased that the BVI business community has assisted with the placement of employees. We have always said that Government cannot build this economy alone, it takes the public and private sector working together to ensure success and sustainable growth.”
A total of 328 employees were affected by the resort’s 18 month closure. During the Ninth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly, Premier Smith stated that the employees of Little Dix Bay had found jobs at 32 businesses on Virgin Gorda and 12 businesses on Tortola, as well as four off-island resorts including Necker Island, Scrub Island, Peter Island and Guana Island. The employment opportunities varied significantly and were dependent on the business, as the positions available were tourism and non-tourism related.
To date, records indicate that eight individuals have returned to their native land, and seven persons left prior to the closure, and were not severed. Some workers are still considering other available employment opportunities, while others are choosing to seek employment closer to the start of the tourist season.
A multi-agency select committee led by Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Archibald Christian, has been working with affected employees. Through the Labour Department, the committee partnered with Rosewood Little Dix Bay with the hosting of a two-day job fair on April 6 and 7.
The Government also established a Help Desk to provide personal assistance to the employees, as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the closure of the resort, and facilitate the transitioning of any of the workers to other employment opportunities. The Help Desk is being facilitated by Human Resource Specialist, Mr. Albert Wheatley who serves in the capacity as liaison between the workers and the Government.
In conjunction with the Labour Department, the Help Desk coordinates opportunities that arise for new employment, as well as handles other queries and concerns.
Similarly, upgrades at Yacht Club Costa Smerelda (YCCS) to help maintain Virgin Gorda and the BVI’s position as leaders in the global mega yacht space were announced earlier in the year. The YCCS closed on June 1, and the Help Desk is also assisting YCCS employees affected by the closure with job placements.
The Government of the Virgin Islands remains committed to deepening the economy so that the Territory can continue to enjoy good economic growth, with meaningful employment opportunities.
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