Hey Mon -- Dis is Good News

[emeraldize]

Companies commit to ending HIV prejudice
published: Sunday | August 27, 2006

SOME 22 companies have now signed agreements committing to stamp out AIDS discrimination in the workplace, says the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF).

The employers group has been organising workshops, in collaboration with health and labour organsiations, for the companies that have endorsed a "corporate values statement" requiring them to implement policies to deal with HIV/ AIDS discrimination.

Nat'l business council

The parties have also been cooperating on the creation of a national business council, through which it will coordinate its efforts with the Government and non-governmental organisations to support the national HIV/ AIDS programme, the JEF said.

More than 20,000 Jamaicans are estimated by the Ministry of Health to be HIV positive, with infections prevalent in the 15 to 49 age group.

One in four persons in the workplace are considered HIV-positive.

A February 2006 survey commissioned by the JEF found that 62 per cent of the estimated 23,000 employees in the companies surveyed, were not covered by HIV-specific workplace policies. Managers, said the JEF, reported having few if any opportunities to share best practices on dealing with HIV/AIDS in the workplace, and 13 per cent of the companies said they would not hire applicants who disclosed an HIV-positive status, the federation said.



The 22 companies

American Airlines
Bank of Nova Scotia
Cable and Wireless
Capital and Credit Merchant Bank
Carreras Group
Caymanas Track Limited
GraceKennedy
Guardian Life
Island Grill
Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
Shipping Association of Jamaica
National Commercial Bank
Pan Jamaican Investment/Jamaica Property Company
Pepsi Cola Ja. Bottling Company
Red Stripe
RJR Communications
Terra Nova All Suites Hotel
Citibank
Jamaica Money Market Brokers
Life of Jamaica
Manpower Maintenance Services
SuperClubs

[Moffie65]

Ann,

This news is astounding, since killing people with HIV was common practice in Jamaca just a short year ago.  Thankfully, sanity is creeping into this very hateful culture for the first time in history. 

I can only say thank you for posting this earthshaking news here for our information. 

In Love.

[Andy Velez]

And not a moment too soon. The violence and hatred in Jamaica in the past has literally been murderous.

Let's hope this really signals a shift. Maybe the bad publicity has caused this shift since it's an island where tourism is really important. Whatever the reason it's great to see a shift for the better happening.

Thanks for the information.

[zephyr]

Ann,

Thanks for sharing this with us.

Bob Marley would be proud.

Love,

Zeph

[brandy]

Tim,
I do not know where you get your information that killing people with HIV was common practise in Jamaica?
Let me assure you as a Jamaican, that is a baltant lie , people with HIV/AIDS, were treated like shit till Jamaica Aids support, The Jamaican Network of Seropositives, (Of which I was the vice president) The Center for HIV/AIDs Reasearch and various other organizations came out and did something about it, but in no way shape or form was killing people with hiv common practise.
Persons died from lack of treatment and care, no access to medications, and  the stigma attached to HIV/Aids.
There is only one documented case of an hivt person who was indeed stoned because of his status, the person who did this act is now still behind bars.
Jamaica is not just about violence and hatred, it is also a beautiful place with beautiful people.
Nowhere in Jamaica did people just go around and kill persons who were known to be hivt, if that were the case persons like myself and all the other activists in Jamaica who were public about our status i orderr to heighten the awareness of hiv/aids would be dead.