Housekeepers heading to Canada

Twenty-six Barbadian housekeepers will finally be heading off to Canada under the External Workers Programme after months of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The workers received training on Tuesday at the Ministry of Labour’s offices in Warrens, in anticipation of their departure on October 31.

According to Acting Senior Employment Officer at the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service (BECCS) Coleen Farnum, the cohort was recruited in February and were preparing to head out when the pandemic struck, resulting in drastic curfew measures in both Barbados and Canada.

The group will be heading off to the Blue Mountain Hotel in Ontario on a one-year contract.

“Today’s session is intended to go through the content on their contracts and giving them the do’s and don’ts, outlining their roles and responsibilities, an idea of how to react to the different cultures that they will meet, and reminding them that they are ambassadors for Barbados,” Farnum explained.

The BECCS facilitates similar programmes in hospitality and farming and another group of workers is expected to return on December 15. (KS)