A two-day job fair has been organised to assist employees of Rosewood Little Dix Bay who will be affected when the hotel temporarily closes in May for renovations.

The multi-agency select committee mobilised by the Government of the Virgin Islands to assist employees, through the Labour Department, is partnering with Rosewood Little Dix Bay in hosting the two days of activity on April 6 and 7 for the employees. Approximately 62 businesses will be represented at the two-day event.

Day one of the fair will be held on Wednesday, April 6 and will feature tourism industry related positions. Day two will be held on Thursday, April 7 and will feature non-tourism and construction related positions. Interviews will be conducted on the spot for some positions. The job fair will be held on the tennis courts of the Little Dix Bay property, and will commence from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.

Labour Commissioner, Mrs. Janice Rymer, is encouraging Rosewood Little Dix Bay employees to attend the fair and take advantage of the employment opportunities that will be made available.

Mrs. Rymer affirmed the Labour Department’s presence at the fair stating, “It is important to the Government that persons are placed and we will continue to ensure that new work permits for the affected employees are expedited so that they can transition smoothly into new jobs.”

The Labour Commissioner explained that the department’s Employment Services Unit has a list of vacancies from businesses throughout the Territory, and the unit will be present to register employees and assist in aligning them with available job opportunities.

The Help Desk, an initiative of the select committee, will also be present at the fair. They will be providing employees with resume writing assistance, tips on how to dress for jobs interviews and how to interact with potential employers.

The multi-agency select committee, among other things, is responsible for assessing the economic impact of the development on the Territory and the means of mitigating the impact, along with facilitating the transition of any of the workers to other employment opportunities.

Additionally, the committee will monitor the construction phase of the Rosewood Little Dix Bay project including applications, coordination and employment/labour placements to ensure that the Virgin Gorda community benefits from the development, and that the resort reopens in a timely manner.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, one of the leading hotel properties in the British Virgin Islands, will begin a complete resort restoration, marking the most extensive renovation and beautification project in its more than 52-year history. In order to ensure that the renovation is undertaken with the greatest efficiency and to the highest possible standards, the hotel will have to be closed for approximately 18 months. It is estimated that about 330 workers will be affected by the interim closure.

The Government of the Virgin Islands remains committed to broadening and deepening the economy, so that as these inevitable circumstances arise workers are absorbed seamlessly into a stronger economy.