The BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) is presently seeking to fill approximately 20 vacancies for the position of Project Employee to further boost the territory’s COVID-19 testing capacity.
This number was confirmed by the Minister for Health Carvin Malone, during an interview with 284 Media on Monday August 23.
The minister said the BVIHSA recently acquired some 45,000 rapid tests and are now actively seeking professionals and qualified persons who will be trained to administer and record these tests for incoming and outgoing travelers.
These 20 persons will be spread among various ports of entry across the territory which include: Jost Van Dyke, the West End Port, the Road Town Jetty, and the ports on Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
Minister Malone spoke on the importance of the Health Services Authority acquiring these additional persons.
He said, “This is a very important milestone for the Authority because as we continue to open our borders, as we continue to do whatever is required to keep our country safe, it is important that all of the ports of entry be equipped to receive the passengers from overseas.”
“So it is important for Jost Van Dyke for instance that we have the folks on Jost Van Dyke being trained for the administration of the rapid tests. There are two or three different disciplines that are required, the reporting, the administration of it, in terms of assisting passengers and assisting the residents to fill out the electronic forms and once the tests are taken, to have them reported back to the central database and within a 15-minute period the client can receive their particular results,” he explained.
Ease for persons on sister islands
Minister Malone also said that by having these full-time persons at the various ports of entry, it will assist in reducing some of the expense for persons on the sister islands, who normally would have to travel to Tortola to get the testing done.
“Once the antigen tests are being received by the port that the traveler is going to, then you don’t want someone having to leave and spending one night and resources over in Anegada, then having to come all the way back to Tortola the night before just to get the antigen test. We can have this done at wherever their final port will be,” he stated.
6 months in the first instance
The health minister further revealed that the immediate plans are to have these persons fully employed for a period of 6 months, which may likely extend once the requirements for testing persists.
He said despite having to allocate more funding to employ these persons, the initiative is one that will be self-sustainable since travelers will be injecting money to be tested.
“It is going to be 6 months in the first instance because we don’t know how long the coronavirus and the effects of it are going to be here in the territory, in the world, in the region. So we have to make preparations for all of this,” he said.
He added, “This is one in which you’re pleased to enter because it is also an income centre, so the cost associated with it would be borne by the particular customers who would be able to take advantage of the ease in getting the antigen test, the particular rapid results that you would have. It will also cut down tremendously on the work that the PCR test and the lab would have to do. So it is a win-win situation for all concerned.”
Requirements for role
According to the BVIHSA the Project Employee will be responsible for conducting general COVID testing for the purpose of collecting COVID data associated with all inbound travelers coming to the BVI via private vessels, ferries and airport terminals.
The employee will also be required to perform PCR testing, both orally and through nasal procedure that include children and adults ages 5 years and older.
The candidate must be mature, flexible and computer literate and must possess capabilities to troubleshoot and function on varying administrative levels.
Also to note, the individual should have at minimum a High School Diploma, an Associate Degree in Administration, Healthcare Administration or Business Management, must be 18 years of age and older, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and should possess a valid BVI driver’s license.
Interested persons can apply by sending their curriculum vita or resume and letter of application to the email address of hrd@bvihsa.vg.
Persons can also apply by submitting hard copies of their application, addressed to the Acting Human Resource Manager of the BVI Health Services Authority, to P.O. BOX 439, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands.
The deadline to submit all applications is August 31, 2021.