Mufi's Message May 10, 2020

Happy Mother's Day

Aloha,

On this Mother's Day, I want to send a special note of gratitude to each and every of the amazing women that someone is fortunate enough to call 'Mom'. A mother's love is an extraordinary thing that exists in rarefied air. If you are able to be with yours today, please take a moment to let her know exactly how much she means to you. And if they have passed on, say a prayer of gratitude for the influence they’ve had in your life. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Baby Mufi and his mother, Faiaso. ​

HLTA COVID-19 Standards

As I noted in previous communications, we have completed a proposed set of health, safety, and security standards that we hope will help to establish Hawai'i as one of the safest and cleanest places in the world to work, live, play, visit, relax, and enjoy. After reviewing feedback and comments from many industry stakeholders, we have submitted an initial draft to HI-EMA and the State Department of Health for their approval.

I want to quickly share with you portions of the three areas of focus on which our standards focus.

Mākaukau - Preparation
This section details the steps that must be taken before our local hotels resume business operations. Proper training, education and communications are a critical component in going forward in the “new normal". It requires the establishment of a property-wide policy in the following areas:

• Clear, non-punitive employee health guidance
• Social-distancing 
• Food & Beverage operations

This section also suggests the development of internal "right to test" policies that allow a property to refuse service to a visibly ill guest who will not agree to further COVID-19 screening processes.

Hana Pono - Proper Procedure
The second area of focus for our standards requires that properties establish clear, comprehensive cleaning practices for all common areas, staff areas, and guest rooms. In researching the latest best practices for this section, we referred to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as well as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration to determine everything from best practices to the cleaning products that should be used. A high degree of priority is the constant need to always have the workforce in the hotels operating in a healthy and safe environment. 

Pane - Answer
The final area of focus covers the need for hotel properties to have established action plans that will go into effect in the event of a suspected case of COVID-19 or any other communicable disease. In this section, we laid out a proposed plan that includes designating an isolated bloc of rooms or other area of the hotel to house possibly ill guests. We are cognizant of the fact that we are not hospitals or a place where medical experts reside and work. Therefore, our plan is to have clear communication and dialogue with the state Department of Health and law enforcement officials should the need arise to handle an emergency.  

The impetus for these standards, besides protecting our local population as well as our visitors, is to slowly restore public trust in our industry. This is not possible if we begin to ostracize individuals who may be ill. We are all in this crusade together and, for us to proceed down this the path of recovery, everything we do must come from a place of aloha.

Mahalo,
​Mufi