Tourism operators in Western Province complete Minimum Standard Extra-Care Training
Around 170 participants have successfully completed a recent five days training on Minimum Standard Extra-Care in Gizo and Munda, Western Province.
The training is a joint collaboration of the Ministry of Tourism and Health, grounded on the three years cooperation agreement signed in 2020 to build capacity of the tourism industry to operate safely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MCT and MHMS Permanent Secretaries (seated in-front) signing the agreement in 2020 before their officials
National Health Emergency Operation Center (NHEOC), Manager Mr. RollyViga and Infection, Prevention and Control Officer by profession, travelled the Western Province providing technical support in all the trainings held for the tourism operators.
Mr. Rolly explained that objective of the five days training is for all the participants to better understand COVID-19 Minimum Standard Extra-care set for the Tourism Businesses and how to best implement these standards. “In doing so, operators, their workers and staff including visitors will be able to carry on with business and leisure without risking the health and lives of themselves and their families, their colleagues and visitors”.
Since the signing the MOU, over 200 plus tourism operators including relevant tourism service providers in Honiara including Isabel were trained on this minimum standard.
With the opening of the borders later this year, as proposed by the COVID-19 Oversight Committee, the training and implementation of the standards is now being rolled out in the West and soon to cover all remaining provinces.
Western Tourism Operators who participated in the training thanked the Tourism and Health Ministry for holding the training stating that it will greatly enable them to ensure their tourism businesses continue to operate safely from COVID-19 and all other infectious diseases.
The Ministry of Health has been supporting various sectors regarding COVID-19 protocols and safe measures to ensure work place safety and will continue to assist those who require guidance in their operations and undertakings as the country moves towards re-opening of its national borders.
-MHMS Press