VZCZCXRO5354
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHSP #1086/01 3051227
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011227Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8762
INFO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0143
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

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. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Developing T&T's HIV/AIDS Workplace Policies 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶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. 
 
 
PORT OF SP 00001086  002 OF 002 
 
 
KUSNITZ