CARIBAVIA participants listening to a session led by Leif Ytterstad (standing).
SIMPSON BAY--Seventy workers of the Pointe Blanche prison attended this week’s CARIBAVIA conference, which was billed as an international aviation meet-up. The workers participated in a session about etiquette and the techniques of handling diverse people.
The workers’ attendance was endorsed by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever, who formally opened the conference on Tuesday and welcomed the more than 60 delegates.
CARIBAVIA organiser Commander Bud Slabbaert and his team were initially surprised by the request for the prison staff to participate, but embraced the change.
The session led by Leif Ytterstad, head butler and trainer at the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, DaVinci In-Flight Training Institute, was adapted to accommodate the workers.
A long-time supporter and sponsor of CARIBAVIA, Ytterstad’s session usually focuses on training flight attendants to handle clients travelling on private jets, as well as general protocols for the so-called VIP hospitality sector.
“Leif highlighted the value of leading by example, listening to fears and plans for outside life, being a listener and showing compassion,” said organisers.
At the conference, prison workers also met with international aviation, travel and tourism delegates from the United States (US), France, the United Kingdom (UK) and countries in the region.
