From left: Chairwoman Rachael Geerlings, Secretary Brigitte Fränkel, Vice Chair Juliëtte Hassell, and Treasurer Migdala Clarinda. Not in photo is member Tess Blom.
Attendees during the launch of St. Maarten Human Capital Association at Emilio’s restaurant.
PHILIPSBURG–The St. Maarten Human Capital Association (SHCA) held a soft launch at Emilio’s Restaurant on Friday, June 14.
SHCA aims to professionalise the human resource management (HRM) discipline in St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius through educating, promoting the exchange of ideas and expertise, developing partnerships, and sharing knowledge. The association’s founding members are Rachael Geerlings, Juliëtte Hassell, Migdala Clarinda, Brigitte Fränkel and Tess Blom.
“We have been thinking about starting this initiative for quite some time. Last year September, after we came back from a human resources (HR) event in Aruba, we decided to seriously work on making a St. Maarten HR association a reality. What we saw and heard at the HR event motivated us to elevate the HR profession and ‘Move HRM forward’, which has become the association’s slogan,” Geerlings said.
“People are a pivotal factor in making the difference between mediocrity and excellence in any organisation. Across the various industries on our beautiful islands, we share many of the same HRM issues. Why not connect, share expertise, exchange ideas on how to improve our HRM strategies and discuss how the human aspect can get the attention it deserves?
“We have chosen human capital because it alludes to more than just human resources. Human capital encompasses the vision that investments have to be made in people via training, education or by creating a healthy and safe workplace, etcetera,” Geerlings concluded.
The association has been established by notarial deed. “We are serious about our vision and mission and want to ensure that necessary procedures and checks and balances are in place,” Clarinda shared.
The soft launch was well attended by HR professionals representing several sectors of St. Maarten’s workforce. “The HR professionals and directors of organisations present engaged in the question-and-answer section of the launch as well as contributed by providing useful feedback to the association,” said Fränkel.
“Getting the word spread of our existence, sharing our objectives and vision and holding dialogue on important HR topics with potential members and stakeholders is our current focus,” Hassell noted. “We want to ensure that our programme is a reflection of top priority HRM topics for our member base.”
In the first quarter of 2020, SHCA will formally launch itself by holding an educational and HRM Event with guest speakers and breakout sessions. “The event will be a venue to connect, share expertise and inspire,” said Hassell.
Any director, managing board member, management team member, or HR professional can become member. Membership will give access to the members-only area on the SHCA’s website where useful HR documents, templates, and articles will be shared. Members will also enjoy a substantial discount on any event, seminar and training organised by SHCA.
Membership is personal and the annual fee is US $150. When more persons of the same organisation join, a discount will be given. “Although we are on St. Maarten, we explicitly extend an invitation to organisations on our neighbouring islands to join as well. We have an ‘early bird’ special. Persons who register and become members now, for the 2020 calendar year, can start enjoying the members-only area and other perks as they come online,” Hassell said.
Interested parties are invited to visit the association’s Facebook page
shca.sxm or the website
On the website, the pre-registration form can be downloaded.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/88474-human-capital-assoc-formed
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