in the workplace.

And it should involve support for sufferers, and compulsory training to increase employees' awareness of the disease.

That's the view of Mr. Martin Smith, whose son Allan died from AIDS in September 1991.

The Allan Vincent Smith Foundation has since been launched to help AIDS sufferers.

Mr. Smith was speaking at the recent International Risk Management's Bermuda Rendezvous conference at Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort.

He told the gathering of international risk managers that AIDS had yet to be treated by insurers as a catastrophe like hurricanes, bombings, or air crashes.

And yet the cost of AIDS to countries worldwide was huge, and increasing.

Costs included health insurance, early pension and life insurance payouts, and reduced productivity of employees caring for AIDS sufferers.

Mr. Smith said he did not believe accurate costs had been worked out for the running of Bermuda's terminally ill hospice, Agape House.

"What should we be doing as risk managers with respect to this epidemic?'' asked Mr. Smith.

"If we are to avoid fear and stigma from AIDS which have created disruptions and discrimination in the workplace there are three things in my opinion, that need to be accomplished.

"First, there needs to be a company policy. Second there needs to be mandatory training, and thirdly there needs to be counselling and support.'' Mr. Smith said, under the policy, employees should have: Protection to their right of privacy; Insurance for full health and disability benefits; Guarantee the employee won't be isolated from other workers; and Keep AIDS sufferers as productive as possible.

Mr. Smith said there should also be mandatory training to present facts on HIV and AIDS, and help with co-workers' concerns.

In addition, there should be workshops or forums for "frank, open discussions'', programmes to explain AIDS policies, and help with job restructuring for sufferers.

Mr. Smith continued by calling for counselling and support to help employees cope with their disease.

Supervisors and managers should also be asked about dealing with AIDS.

"AIDS knows no boundaries. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white, rich or poor, all are potential victims.

"We've got to get our heads out of the sand and recognise the realities that are around us.

"We've got to promote safer sex; safe sex is abstinence; safer sex is the use of condoms or alternative sexual activities that do not involve the exchange of body fluids.

"We have to educate our young people about the risk of AIDS. I believe we've got to get back to the old fashioned values of the family unit where the first sexual experience occurred on the first night of marriage.

"There is then a fidelity of contract between the two partners, who raise their children with a very strong sense of what is right and wrong, and a keen understanding of their personal responsibility to themselves and their fellow men and women.'' MR. MARTIN SMITH -- He recently told a gathering of international risk managers that AIDS had yet to be treated by insurers as a catastrophe like hurricanes, bombings, or air crashes.