ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE PROJECT MOVING AHEAD IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT OF SPAIN 001086

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

BRIDGETOWN FOR CDC
GENEVA FOR LABOR ATTACHE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV SOCI TBIO TD
SUBJECT: ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE PROJECT MOVING AHEAD IN
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO



1. SUMMARY: ILO representatives were optimistic about progress as
they completed the midterm assessment of the U.S. Department of
Labor (USDOL) funded Trinidad and Tobago HIV/AIDS Workplace
Education Program. After initial delays, new commitment and buy-in
from the Ministry of Labor has resulted in advances in developing
both a national HIV/AIDS workplace policy and HIV/AIDS policies and
programs for individual enterprises. Given the importance of
government support for this and other HIV/AIDS activities in T&T,
Post is closely monitoring upcoming elections in the first week of
November and any resulting changes in political and bureaucratic
leadership that may influence further progress on HIV/AIDS issues.
END SUMMARY.


2. Wael Issa, Technical Cooperation Officer for the ILO's "Programme
for the Promotion of the Declaration," and Carol-Ann Senah, National
Project Coordinator in the ILO's Port of Spain office, met with Post
political and economic officers on October 19, while completing
their mid-term assessment of the HIV/AIDS workplace education
program that ILO is carrying out with US Department of labor
funding, to report on progress to date, anticipated developments and
potential areas for cooperation with the Embassy.

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Developing T&T's HIV/AIDS Workplace Policies
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3. T&T is the 23rd country worldwide, and the fifth in the region,
to implement the ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS workplace education program.
This three-year, US$420,000 program addresses HIV/AIDS in the
workplace in both the public and private sectors, and it complements
GOTT efforts to implement T&T's first National HIV/AIDS Strategic
Plan 2004-2008. While the T&T's National AIDS Coordinating
Committee (NACC),established in March 2004, oversees implementation
of the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, ILO has the lead on
workplace issues. The ILO/USDOL program was to start in 2005, but
it was not until August 2006 that the ILO signed an MOU with the
Ministry of Labor and Small and Micro Enterprise Development
(MLSMED) to officially begin the program. According to Issa, a
change in bureaucratic leadership in that ministry in 2006 brought
new commitment and leadership to the issue, leading to the MOU
signing and a start to programmatic activity.


4. While tripartite collaboration between the government, employers'
organizations and trade unions is a project objective, the ILO
strategy in T&T focuses on two distinct but complementary
activities: first, developing a national workplace policy on
HIV/AIDS to be implemented initially by government ministries, with
the eventual goal of national HIV/AIDS legislation enforceable at
all enterprises; and second, assisting individual private
enterprises to develop and implement HIV/AIDS workplace policies and
programs. Issa reported progress on developing the national
workplace policy. After several rounds of comments, Issa expects
Cabinet to approve the policy by the end of November and for
implementation to start in early 2008. [COMMENT: Elections are set
for November 5, with new ministerial appointments expected even if
the ruling party remains in power. MLSMED Minister Danny Montano
has already announced publicly that he will not return to that
portfolio. Gaining Cabinet approval for a national HIV/AIDS
workplace policy within the first month of a new Cabinet would be an
accomplishment and would indicate strong government commitment to
the issue.]


5. Although the national workplace policy is not yet in place, the
ILO is already working with the MLSMED to train staff and put
programs in place for eventual implementation across the ministries.
The ILO is also working with twelve private enterprises across
different sectors, including the energy, finance and tourism
sectors, to develop their own HIV/AIDS workplace policies and
programs. Despite occasional reluctance from management at the
enterprises, Senah was encouraged by progress towards developing and
implementing HIV/AIDS workplace policies at all but two of the
enterprises. Issa reported that one company, National Petroleum, is
already implementing its policy, while feedback from both management
and the unions on Republic Bank activities has been very positive.



6. COMMENT: Support from top levels of government has been critical
for the ILO/USDOL project and for other HIV/AIDS activity in T&T.
While efforts are underway to develop NGO capacity for HIV/AIDS
activities, including a CDC-sponsored series of workshops to enhance
NGO capacity set for this fiscal year, HIV/AIDS activities and the
boundaries of debate on the issue still stem primarily from the
GOTT. With pending elections, it remains to be seen where HIV/AIDS
falls on the list of government priorities and whether newly
installed political and bureaucratic leadership will champion this
issue, allowing for further progress. END COMMENT.


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