The Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBCHA) honoured eight companies at its Sixth Annual Awards for Business Excellence in recognition of their efforts to contribute to the national response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace and community.
According to a press release, Denmor Garment Manufacturers and the Guyana National Shipping Corporation received awards for their workplace programmes, with the latter company being singled out for honourable mention. Scotiabank and the Guyana Lottery Company were honoured for their community investment, with the Lottery Company being given honourable mention.
This year, Janet Abbensettes of the Guyana Revenue Authority was recognised for “Individual Leadership” while Rohini Ramkumar of Edward B Beharry and Company Limited was awarded for “Outstanding Performance by a Peer Educator.” The company was also given the “Core Competency” award, along with the National Milling Company of Guyana, which received honourable mention in this category.
Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran congratulated the winners and other companies for their efforts to raise awareness about non-communicable diseases. He reminded the audience that private sector support was needed for National week of Testing.
US Ambassador Brent Hardt praised the GBCHA for an excellent job done over the years and lauded its continued commendable efforts to sustain the GBCHA, following the removal of President’s Emergency Programme for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding. “I understand that the Coalition recently celebrated its fourth anniversary, which highlighted the ongoing and sustained involvement of the private sector… this is vivid testimony to the commitment of corporate leaders and to the progress made by the local and international programmes over the years,” he said.
These companies and many others continue to integrate HIV awareness into other programmes, making the prevention objective more sustainable through employee inductions, occupational health and safety programmes and health and wellness programmes, the GBCHA said. “Through our membership the GBCHA was able to reach 1,000 employees in the workplace in regions 4 and 6 and over 4,000 persons received quality HIV counselling and testing at the GBCHA Site,” David Bhola, GBCHA chairman was quoted as saying.
