No jab, no job: Hotel

By PETER ESILA
A HOTEL has implemented a Coronavirus (Covid-19) “no jab, no job” policy, saying it is in the best interest of employees, customers, clients and guests.
Lae International Hotel general manager Jason Anderson told The National that the policy was a business decision.
“We are in the hospitality industry dealing directly with many people 24 hours a day,” he said.
“(We) believe we must take all measures possible to ensure we are providing the safest environment for all.
“And by having 100 per cent of our staff vaccinated will help in a long way to achieving this goal.”
Likewise, Melanesian Tourist Services Ltd managing director Sir Peter Barter said about 98 per cent of its Madang Resort employees were vaccinated.
“No one is forced to be vaccinated, but we owe it to our staff to provide the best information available for them to make their own choice,” he said.
“We have undertaken group and individual awareness programmes, the Melanesian Foundation has published a (Question and Answer) booklet which has now been distributed throughout PNG.”
He said Indonesia had more than 1,000 people dying daily and in Australia, half of the population were locked down.
“This is factual data which cannot be ignored,” he said.
“Yet in PNG, we are living in denial.
“Our testing rate is very poor and less than 1 per cent of the population is vaccinated.”
Sir Peter said “we need to be guided by professional people in PNG and internationally”.
“Once (the Covid-19 is) established in rural areas which have poor health services, we could have a massive problem that could devastate the health and welfare of countless millions in PNG,” he said.
He said people in rural areas still ignored health safety protocols.
“Markets, large gatherings, overloaded vehicles, many of which are organised by the Government, lack of masking, distancing – in total contempt of the laws set by the National Control Centre ,” he said.