Staff, mana whenua, and representatives of various Government agencies gathered together on Friday morning for a whakawātea ceremony to mark the final stage of decommissioning the Bay Plaza Hotel as a MIQ facility.
Whakawātea means to clear, or purify spiritually—and a whakawātea ceremony—is used to cleanse a place and the people associated with it.
Chief Nursing Officer Chris Kerr attended the ceremony on behalf of Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs, and was joined by staff who have managed the facility, and those who provided care and support for whānau during their stay.
“I am extremely proud of the passion and commitment from our staff who have been a central part of the success of this facility. I also extend my appreciation to those who continue to be part of the Grand Mercure which remains open as a MIQ.” Chris said.
Staff in attendance shared their experiences working in the facilities, and what impacted them the most.
“What touched me were the stories. Why people were returning home, reasons that were happy and sad, and what they shared with the health teams—that was really significant”.
“In our work, we don’t often get the opportunity to collaborate with multiple agencies; having everyone work so closely together and the relationships we built during this time was really successful, and is a big part of why this pandemic has been managed well”.
“I was proud to be working in a facility that kept my community safe. I was protecting the people of Aotearoa from COVID-19”.
Leaha North, Charge Nurse Manager MIQ and Borders, said that she it was a privilege to be a part of a wider team that was supporting the wellbeing of New Zealand citizens returning home, and made specific mention of the hotel staff.
“They opened their doors up to us. This is their home, their business, and we all came in and took over, and they couldn’t have been more accommodating and kind to us. They really looked after the team and developed a positive working relationships, which made our time in the facility so much better.”
Chris was pleased to see that everyone involved with the management of the facility was acknowledged.
“As the kaumatua from Te Atiawa ki Taranaki said this morning, ‘Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari kē he toa takitini’—success should not be bestowed to one alone, but that of many. ‘Ka pai ki muri, Ka pai ki mua’—we recognise that the work of those behind the scenes is what makes it all work at the front.”
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