ILO Caribbean Office
·~· REPORT OF THE CARIBBEAN LABOUR MINISTERS MEETING
23 - 24 April1998 Georgetown, Guyana I_
·-·
/
All correspondence should be addressed to the ILO Caribbean Office, P.O. Box 1201, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Telephone: 868-628-1453, Facsimile: 868-628-2433, e-mail: 17ocarrb@ilocarib. org. tt. ~
Visit our web-site at: ilocarib.org.tt Table of Contents
Introduction ...... 4
Item 1: Opening Ceremony ...... 4
Business Sessions ...... 13
Item2: ILO Activities ...... 15
2.1. Report of the ILO Caribbean Office on its work during the 1996-97 biennium
2.2. ILO Statement on Common Objectives and Problems in the Caribbean
2.3. ILO Caribbean Office Work Programme for the 1998-1999 period
Item 3: Regional Issues ...... 25
3 .I. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean -A Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) Perspective
3 .2. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean -A Caribbean Employers Confederation (CEC) Perspective
3.3. CARl COM Report regarding Regional Labour Issues
Item4: Proposal for an ILO/CARICOM Symposium to discuss labour issues in the context of economic development and trade ...... 27
Item 5: International Issues ...... 29
5 .1. The 86th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC)
5.l.a. Contract Labour 5.l.b. Child Labour 5.1.c. Job Creation in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises 5.1.d. Declaration of Principles of the ILO on Fundamental Human Rights
5.2. International Labour Standards including Basic Human Rights Conventions - Status and Responses
5.3. Other International Labour Conference Issues
2 -, '
5.4. The 14th Conferenc~ ofiLO American Member States [_
Item 6: The role of the state in Industrial Relations ...... 40 I 6.1. A Government Perspective (Guyana)
6.2. A Worker's Perspective (CCL)
6.3. An Employer's Perspective (CEC)
6.4. An ILO Perspective
Item 7: A wider strategic vision for Social Partnership and Development ...... 45
Item 8: An IDB Labour Market Study for the Caribbean ...... 49
Item 9: Other Business ...... 53
Item 10: Closing Session ...... 53
3 Introduction
1. The Meeting of the Caribbean Labour Ministers was convened by the ILO Caribbean Office in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat and the Government of Guyana at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown, on 23-24 April, 1998.
2. The purpose of the meeting was to provide Ministers with a forum for exchanging information and views on current labour and social issues facing the region as well as to coordinate their positions for the 86'h Session of the International Labour Conference.
3. Represented at the Meeting were Ministers, Senior Government representatives, delegates from regional and national Trade Union and Employer bodies as well as representatives from CAR! COM and IDB. A full list of representatives attending the
·~· meeting is attached as Annex 1 to this Report.
Opening Ceremony !
CHAIR:
4. Mr. Samuel Goolsarran, Senior Specialist in Labour Administration and Industrial Relations, ILO Caribbean Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (CAMAT), chaired the Opening Ceremony. He extended words of welcome and introduced the speakers.
/ REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GUY ANA:
5. The Honourable Henry B. Jeffrey, Minister of Health and Labour, Government of Guyana, in his welcoming remarks, extended a warm welcome to Ministers, official representatives, the ILO Director and his staff as well as all others guests present at the ceremony.
4 6. Minister Jeffrey noted that the contemporary struggle for survival in the global marketplace had produced a quantum shift in the way labour was viewed and organised at both the levels of the enterprise and the state. He remarked that the conceptual transformation taking place was reinforcing the evidence that worker participation leads to greater output and called for a comprehensive view oflabour.
7. Minister Jeffrey observed that in Guyana as well as in the Caribbean as a whole, labour ministries did not have the kind of involvement in devising the general course of socio-economic development, which the new global production and trade environment required. Therefore, he welcomed the policy agenda of the Labour Ministers Meeting and spoke of the need to develop a better appreciation of the issues at stake.
8. He also referred to the first meeting of the new CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) and the need to properly locate labour in this new CARICOM ministerial council, which brought together all of the traditional social sector ministries: Health, Education, Housing, Youth, Women, Sports and Labour. In closing, Minister Jeffrey thanked the ILO for its continuing support and insight in hosting these inter-sessional meetings to further develop the regional labour agenda.
REPRESENTATNE OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
9. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Willi Momm, Director of the ILO Caribbean Office and Multi-Disciplinary Advisory Team, stated that this was the second time that the Ministers with responsibility for Labour met under the auspices of the ILO in this sub-region. This was the result of an agreement with CARICOM to introduce intersessional ILO-sponsored meetings to the meetings of the Standing Committee of Ministers with responsibility for Labour.
I 0. Mr. Momm then introduced the agenda, which proposed both to review ILO activities in the Caribbean and to deal with important international issues that were seen as
5 crucial in the preparation of the region to enter the 21" century. He stressed that this meeting was of a tripartite nature and took place in the city, which hosts the CAR! COM Secretariat. Rather than being a mere coincidence, Mr Momm felt that this was an expression of the ILO's commitment to further strengthen its ties with this eminent regional organisation and to offer assistance in helping the region to fulfill its goal of economic integration under conditions of social justice and equity.
II. Furthermore, Mr. Momm viewed the fact that the meeting was taking place in Guyana at a time, when the country was going through very difficult times, both politically and economically, as a show of solidarity and sympathy for the people of Guyana. He extended greetings and good wishes to the Government of Guyana on behalf of the Director-General of the ILO.
12. Mr. Momm emphasized the necessity for Caribbean states to be actors and not simply victims of development. He alluded to the quickly accelerating process of ·~· globalization that had ushered in an era of unprecedented need for change. He expressed the view that it was precisely for this Meeting of Labour Ministers to deliberate what globalization could mean for the region and what countries should do about it from a labour perspective.
13. Mr. Momm went on to characterize globalization as a situation where people can buy and sell more freely, but where local products now have more competition from cheaper international products. However, globalization also means reduced power of the State bureaucracies to interfere in markets and might put small countries with a / very small manufacturing base at a distinct disadvantage. Thus, he said that some would experience the withdrawal of the State as loss of protection, while others would welcome it as the long awaited freedom to do business.
14. Mr. Momm pointed out that it was this ambiguity of globalization, which made the development of a strategic and proactive response imperative. While a country's position in the global economy depended largely on what it had to offer in terms of
6 goods and services, it was wrong to see globalization only in economic terms. Rather, any successful response to globalization had to take account of developments in the labour market and had to be forged in the sphere of labour relations. Thus, issues of productivity, capacity utilization, flexibilization and human resources management were equally important as wages, labour costs and conditions of work.
15. Mr Momm further stressed that dysfunctional labour relations, general insecurity, industrial unrest, arbitrary adjudication and ineffective bureaucracies were the most important factors that tended to put off investors. Consequently, it was important to realize that investment decisions were largely determined by the following criteria:
• Social stability • Good industrial relations • Solid infrastructure • Availability of a qualified workforce ·-· • Level of workforce flexibility • Functioning labour force institutions • Reliable and transparent regulatory framework, including labour legislation.
16. Against this background, Mr. Momm reiterated his point that labour policy should claim its rightful place at the centre and not at the margins of national policy making. In this context, the ILO Director also indicated his interest in finding out about the results of the Labour Market Study that the IDB had just completed and whose findings would be presented during the Labour Ministers Meeting.
17. Mr. Momm then spoke of the pressures for less worker protection and the changes in conditions of work contracts, as employers seek to contain labour costs. Some of these developments touch on firm achievements ofthe labour movement and threaten established forms of labour relations. Mr. Momm observed that countries that succeed in making the social partners agree to new types of labour relations, which reconcile
7 industry's demands for greater flexibility with the essential rights of workers, gain considerable advantages in the global competition for investment.
18. Mr. Momm noted that this challenge calls for a new type of labour administration that is capable of masterminding such tradeoffs and preserving harmonious industrial relations. The main task of such an innovative form of labour administration would no longer be to only arbitrate and reconcile among hostile parties. Rather, it would aim to build trust and to support collaboration in the interest of enhancing productivity, employment and decent working conditions.
19. Finally, the ILO Director hoped that the meeting would create awareness for these new dimensions of labour policy and well equip those delegations taking part in this year's International Labour Conference. In closing, Mr. Momm urged Caribbean states to support ILO's Draft Declaration on Fundamental Human Rights, which ._,.. would engage all Member States in a fresh commitment to respect the seven fundamental Human Rights Standards.
REPRESENTATIVE OF CARICOM
20. Mr. Desmond Alfred, Director of Finance, CAR! COM delivered greetings on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community. He expressed satisfaction about the arrangement with the ILO, which made it possible for Caribbean Ministers of LaboJlf to meet every year.
21. Mr. Alfred went on to outline some new developments that had taken place in the Community since Ministers last met as a Standing Committee in Trinidad and Tobago in April1997. He noted that Protocol I, which was the first of nine Protocols amending the Treaty of Chaguaramas, was now being applied provisionally until thl) ratification process had been completed. Mr. Alfred remarked that Protocol I provided for the restructuring of the Organs of the Community and was meant to
8 I ,
enhance the participation of the peoples of the region and, in particular, that of the L'.'·', social partners. He stated that under this new structure, the Standing Committee of Ministers responsible for Labour, would no longer operate as a separate institution, but would now be part of the Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD).
22. Mr. Alfred then referred to the Meetings of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in Jamaica in July 1997, where the need for a creative and productive workforce was recognised. At the same meeting, it was stated that the Caribbean I continued to be plagued with unacceptably high levels of unemployment and poverty, which accentuate the problems created by rapid changes at the global level. I Consequently, the Caricom Secretariat was now seeking to implement a Human Resource Development Strategy for the region that would ensure the availability of a highly educated and retrained labour force .
..,.,. 23. Mr. Alfred observed that the ILO was integrally involved in this process, particularly in the areas of technical and vocational education and training. Moreover, he expected that discussions of this Meeting would impact directly on the welfare of workers and noted that issues such as Micro-Enterprise Development and Contract Labour had a direct relationship to employment, poverty eradication and the improvement of quality of life. In closing, Mr. Alfred urged those Member States that have not yet signed and ratified the CARJCOM Social Security Agreement and the Regional Actuarial Project to complete the progress, as this was one of the more tangible benefits of the Single Market.
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CCL
24. Mr. Lloyd Goodleigh, President, Caribbean Congress of Labour thanked the ILO for the invitation to participate in the Caribbean Labour Ministers' Meeting. The CCL regarded this as a major opportunity to exchange views on the important issues of I I 9 I Globalization, Regionalization and Governance, which were impacting on Caribbean labour markets.
25. Mr. Goodleigh also spoke of the need to resist any temptation to reduce external pressure through higher trade barriers and the reintroduction of restrictions on the mobility of Capital and Labour. Rather, the region's labour markets should:
• maintain and strengthen the tripartite balance of power; • ensure effective governance; • establish common standards; • ensure that there is a Single Market for the region's Human Resources; • adopt a new industrial relations model.
26. Referring to COHSOD, Mr. Goodleigh expressed great concern that the Ministries of Labour and with it the social partners would loose their distinctive role in shaping regional labour market policies. He observed that both the labour markets and its related institutions would determine the pace and nature of economic development in the Caribbean and that they should be mandated accordingly and given the necessary resources. Against this background, the President of the CCL emphasized the readiness of the CCL to cooperate with the other social partners and to play a positive role in the development of the region.
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CEC
/ 27. Mr. Marcel Meyer, President, Caribbean Employers' Confederation, in his remarks, said that it was a great honour for the CEC to participate in the Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers. He also stated that the Employers of the Caribbean were convinced that the social partners would have to work together in tripartite bodies in order to maintain acceptable industrial relations standards.
10 1 28. Mr. Meyer then referred to the 38 h Annual General Meeting of the CEC in Belize, I_ which took place in April 1998 and which recognized the need for:
• bipartite relations with trade unions to address the issues of competitiveness and productivity at the enterprise level; • reduction of confrontational attitudes in industrial relations and the move towards consensus-building, teamwork and greater trust; • provision of higher employment rates compatible with environmental standards; • enhanced capacity of member associations in training of staff, establishing research and information centers, fostering regional approaches and a greater awareness of the Social Clause.
FEATURE ADDRESS
29. Her Excellency Janet Jagan, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, ·~· delivered the feature address. The President welcomed the Labour Ministers of the region and commended the ILO for convening this Meeting at a time when the Caribbean Community was experiencing the effects of rapid globalization and trade liberalization. She felt it was an honour to have the opportunity to address the Labour Ministers of the region.
30. President Janet Jagan stated that massive foreign debts, critical shortages of foreign exchange, high inflation rates, falling prices for export commodities, low productivity, high unemployment rates and more recently, the effects of the El Nino phenomenon were putting heavy pressure on the countries ofthe region. She argued that the ritual application of prescriptions of the International Monetary Fund had not resulted in real development and that most countries in the Caribbean found it difficult to cope with the rapid advances in industrial technology.
31. The President also referred to a major concern that economic liberalization could generate high transitional unemployment and increased inequalities. While
II uncompetitive industries would almost instantly produce job losses, employment creation in competitive new industries might be held back by a lack of investment, bottlenecks in infrastructure and by shortages of skilled labour. Investments to improve infrastructure, safeguard financial reforms to improve access to credit and to promote training in new skills would be required.
32. Therefore, President Janet Jagan urged Labour Ministers to realise that people and their productive potential remain the principal and largest resources available for sustainable development. A careful management of the liberalisation process was needed, which should be grounded in a clear vision for the future and a strong commitment to people-centered development. She argued that policies to ensure a stable macro-economic environment and to strengthen the supply response of producers to new economic opportunities would be important.
33. The President felt that no other Ministry than the Ministry of Labour was better suited ·~· to grapple with these problems and that tripartite forums should address matters of mutual concern to Employers, Unions and Governments. Furthermore, Mrs. Jagan adverted to the importance of bipartite relationships between Employers and Unions, which should be extended to worker's participation at the enterprise level and where the Government should act as a facilitator through the Ministry of Labour.
34. In closing, the President remarked that in the light of unethical work practices and various forms of behavioral abuses many countries had now adopted specific legislation, and in 1997 the Government of Guyana had passed the following labour / legislation:
• The Prevention of Discrimination Act, providing for the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion and gender as well as the promotion of equal opportunity and treatment in employment. It makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee in relation to recruitment and selection for purpose of training and acts of sexual harassment against an employee.
12 [_ • The Occupational Health and Safety Act, providing for the mandatory establishment of Safety Committees with equal representation of management and non-management workers. The Committee is provided with a wide range of powers to identify sources of danger and to make recommendation on measures and procedures respecting the safety and health of workers.
• The Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act, providing for severance to be paid in situations of unfair dismissal and normal redundancy. This Act brings within its scope a whole range of unorganised workers both in the formal and informal sectors and provides for employees to be paid for their years of service, unless dismissed for cause.
• The Trade Union Recognition Act, providing for the improvement and promotion of industrial relations by the establishment of procedures for the certifying of trade unions as recognized majority unions. The Act also provides for the establishment of an independent recognition and certification board of seven members to deal with jurisdictional disputes.
35. President Janet Jagan concluded her address by saying that in order to halt the increase of poverty and unemployment, an effective labour administration system as well as ongoing training within the Ministries of Labour in the region was indispensable. The President then formally declared the Caribbean Labour Ministers Meeting open .
.· / Business Sessions
Election of Chairman:
36. By general consensus, the Honourable Harry Partap, Minister of Labour and Cooperatives, Trinidad and Tobago, and current Chairman of the CARICOM
13 i.
Standing Committee of Ministers with responsibility for Labour, was invited to chair the meeting.
Adoption of the Agenda:
The following agenda, previously circulated in draft, was adopted:
Day I
Item Two: i. Report of the ILO Caribbean Office on its work during the 1996-1997 biennium; ii. ILO Statement on Common Objectives and Problems in the Caribbean; iii. ILO Caribbean Office Work Progranune for the 1998-1999 period;
Item Three: i. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean: A Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) Perspective; ii. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean: A Caribbean Employers Confederation (CEC) Perspective; iii. A CARl COM Report regarding Regional Labour Issues: CARl COM;
Item Four: An ILO-CARICOM Symposium to discuss Labour Issues in the context of Economic Development and Trade;
1 Item Five: i. The 86 h Session of the International Labour Conference: / a) Contract Labour- Trinidad and Tobago; b) Child Labour- Jamaica; c) Job Creation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Bahamas; Day2 d) Declaration of Principles ofthe ILO on Fundamental Human Rights -Barbados;
14 ii. International Labour Standards including Basic Human Rights L Conventions: Status and Responses- ILO; iii. Other International Labour Conference Issues- Trinidad and Tobago; I 1 iv. The 14 h Conference ofiLO American Member States in Lima, 8-10 December 1998;
Item Six: i. The role of the State in Industrial Relations: A Government Perspective; ii. The role of the State in Industrial Relations: Workers' Perspective; iii. The role of the State in Industrial Relations: Employers' Perspective; iv. The role of the State in Industrial Relations: An ILO View;
Item Seven: A wider strategic Vision for Social Partnership and Development - A Consultant Report;
Item Eight: An IDB Labour Market Study for the Caribbean Region; ·;..•
Item Nine: Other Business;
Item 10 Closing Session;
Item 2: fLO Activities
2.1. Report of the ILO Caribbean Office on its work during the 1996-97 biennium
/ / 37. Mr. Willi Momm presented a self-evaluation summary ofiLO activities in the Caribbean for the period Aprill997 to March 1998. He explained that the activities were linked to four major themes, which were commensurate with the thematic focus of the priorities identified in the ILO Programme and Budget and reflected the expertise that the ILO could put at the disposal of its constituents in the region:
15 1) Promote employment creation and poverty eradication through active labour market policies, human resource development and the promotion of small enterprises. 2) Improve social protection and the working environment. 3) Raise awareness oftbe constituents on International Labour Standards and human rights. 4) Equip constituents to enable them to identify the ways and means to strengthen tbeir institution building capacity effectively.
Promote employment creation and poverty eradication through active labour market policies, human resource development and the promotion ofsmall enterprises:
38. Mr Momm noted that the availability of a reliable information base on labour market developments was essential for appropriate policy formulation. In his view, the ILO had made a significant contribution to enhancing Government's and the social ·-· partners' capacity to monitor labour market developments and to accord to labour market policies a higher priority in overall national strategies.
39. Mr. Momm reported that in several countries work had continued on the development oflabour market information systems, (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana), labour force surveys had been instituted (Guyana, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and staff had been trained. National statistical offices, other governmental and non-governmental agencies, including Ministries of Labour and trade unions' and employers' organisations, have collaborated with the ILO in tbe development of a sub-regional database on labour issues and the publication of an / annual Digest of Caribbean Labour Statistics.
40. Mr. Momm also remarked that the ILO had made a significant contribution to UN system efforts to formulate a joint approach with respect to poverty eradication strategies. He observed that the ILO's approach of helping poor people by improving their access to credit, training and advice in setting up small businesses was gaining ground as a crucial element of public policy. Additionally, Mr. Momm felt that the
16 I ,
ILO had been instrumental in improving both knowledge and status of women I_ entrepreneurs in Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Netherland Antilles.
41. Mr. Momrn highlighted the ILO's efforts to develop, strengthen and consolidate the technical and vocational education and training systems throughout the region and to lift the profile ofTVET at the national and regional policy levels. He saw it as a direct result that new policy initiatives had been developed and a greater linkage between vocational training, enterpreneurship and small enterprise development been established in Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Furthermore, the development of a conceptual framework for workforce retraining and a strategy for Human Resources Development (HRD) as part of public sector reform had been initiated. Mr. Momrn also stressed that the ILO contributed to the formulation of a CARl COM HRD strategy, which was endorsed by the Heads of Government in 1997.
Improve social protection and the working environment:
42. Mr. Momrn referred to the fact that the region had seen the enactment or discussion in Parliament of labour legislation that ILO helped to draft or revise. These included the Industrial Relations Act and Amendments (Bermuda, Grenada and Guyana); Employment Acts (Bahamas, Grenada, Montserrat, Trinidad and Tobago) Industrial Tribunal Acts and regulations (Bahamas and Guyana); Maritime Acts and Amendments (Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago); Hours of Work Acts (Barbados, Guyana, and several Territories); Termination ofEmployment Act (Guyana); Maternity Protection Acts (Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago).
43. Mr. Momrn also referred to the successful holding of a tripartite public policy debate at the regional level on Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and export industries (Belize). Based on the findings ofthe ILO Action Programme regarding EPZs, the discussion at that Meeting was likely to generate wider tripartite involvement and future policy initiatives in the area of foreign investment and its social consequences.
17 44. Equally, Mr. Momm pointed out that the ILO brought visibility to the need of improving the working environment of low-income workers as evidenced by the successful outcome of a study and subsequent regional seminar on the issue of domestic workers held in Jamaica.
45. Mr. Momm further stated that with respect to occupational safety and health (OSH), CARl COM commissioned the drafting of a model law on OSH and the Working Environment, which had since been adopted by the Ministers of Labour. In addition, national OSH legislation that was drafted with ILO assistance had been enacted or submitted to Cabinet/Parliament in Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. Mr. Momm noted that a Manual for OSH Committees that specified the joint responsibilities of management and labour has been finalized and promoted throughout the region, in close cooperation with worker and employer
·;..• representatives. Labour inspectors, shop stewards and managers received training on OSH. Requests for more assistance in this area had been received from all constituents.
Raising awareness of the constituents on International Labour Standards and human rights:
46. Mr. Momm noted that the ILO's work on ILS has been particularly successful. Many governments now have a better understanding of the purpose ofiLS and have cleared their backlog of reporting and submissions. Many have indicated their support for the Direct~r~General' s initiative on fundamental labour standards, which already have a high rate of ratification and application in this region. Mr. Momm then pointed to new ratifications that had also been filed and the fact that almost all countries had established or reactivated tripartite Labour Advisory Committees in accordance with C.l44. He assured participants that the ILO would continue advisory and information ' services to assist these committees in carrying out their work.
18 47. Mr. Mornm stated that activities concerned with sexual harassment, women in L management and reproductive health had led to heightened awareness in the region on women's rights and ILO' s role in this regard. The awareness of child and contract labour problems had equally risen and efforts are underway to formulate a Caribbean government position on these issues in preparation for the forthcoming International Labour Conference (ILC). Mr. Mornm also felt that there was now a higher degree of awareness of the need to integrate disabled persons into training and employment programmes owing to CAMAT's work.
Constituents capable of identifYing the ways and means to strengthen effectively their institution building capacity:
48. Mr. Mornm noted that both the technical and policy-making competence of various government departments and social partners had improved. In this regard, he observed a clear shift towards assisting the social partners in increasing their ·;...• knowledge and technical competence concerning issues such as HRD and workforce retraining, the impact of globalization and structural adjustment, labour force flexibility, productivity and new forms of collective bargaining.
49. In closing, Mr. Momm remarked that the difficult resource situation had forced the ILO to favour smaller and less visible activities, which might not always have led to an ideal consolidation of results. On the other hand, he felt that the office was occasionally quite successful in mobilizing national resources in support ofiLO activities.
,' / 50. In the discussion which followed, the ILO was commended on its work that contributed to the strengthening of tripartism in the region. ILO assistance was requested in advising UWI and labour colleges with respect to the development of training programmes for labour economists, labour administration and industrial relations specialists. On the question of the new role of Labour Ministries, it was suggested that this was not only a question of resource availability, but also of
19 programmatic orientation. While it was acknowledged that this issue was the prerogative of the Prime Ministers or the Cabinet, it was considered desirable to unify the issues oflabour, employment, human resources development, productivity and the like under one Ministry.
2.2. ILO Statement on Common Objectives and Problems in the Caribbean
51. On this item, Mr Momm presented a summary of objectives that would guide ILO regional and national activities in the years 1988-1999. These objectives were developed as an outcome of a regional tripartite consultative meeting held in November 1997 in Port of Spain. Mr. Momm stated that the ILO felt that there were a certain number of common issues centered around the challenge posed by ·-· globalization, which were relevant to all countries ofthe region.
There were five key-objectives referred to by Mr. Momm:
1) To work towards a common Caribbean position on labour issues within multilateral trade agreements as well as a labour policy and relations guide for investors.
2) To work towards a common Caribbean position with regard to items on the agenda of the International Labour Conference.
3) To strengthen the capacity of Ministries/Departments of Labour as well as of employers' and workers' organizations to adequately deal- each separately or in the context of tripartite collaboration- with the challenges imposed by trade liberalization and globalization, notably in the areas of productivity, flexibility, human resources development and management, privatization, labour law, industrial· relations and the like.
20 4) To enable Governments and the social partners to design, implement and monitor policies and strategies that are effective in reducing unemployment and related poverty, providing adequate employment security and creating opportunities for quality employment.
5) To upgrade and modernize social protection systems and ensure adequate institutional capacity to effectively apply protective regulations in an environment of increased global competition. More specifically, governments and the social partners should possess better tools: a) to negotiate, introduce and apply adequate standards of safety and health at the workplace; b) to address and prevent possible conflicts related to new forms of working conditions and employment contracts that are frequently ascribed to pressures arising out of the globalization ofthe economy; and c) to introduce or redesign and manage sound social insurance systems and other contributory and non-contributory social security schemes for workers and citizens at large. ·-·
Following a discussion, the Ministers and representatives endorsed the proposed objectives.
2.3. ILO Caribbean Office Work Programme for the 1998-1999 period
52. Mr. Momm outlined the plans for ILO's activities in the region. He stated that activities liasically centered around the issue of globalization, as there was a wide consensus that this was of relevance for the Caribbean. Mr. Momm noted that such an assessment had important implications for managing change, in particular in the following two areas:
• Public polices dealing with labour policies, labour standards, social protection, privatization and the strengthening of tripartism.
21 • Enterprise and workforce-related policies dealing with flexibility, productivity, performance-based wages, gain-sharing, workforce retraining, improvements in management-workforce relations.
53. Mr. Momm recognized the importance for individual countries to prepare to enter the era of global trade. He affirmed ILO 's willingness to support this process. At the national and regional level the ILO Caribbean Office envisaged the following goals and activities:
• To contribute to a deeper understanding of Caribbean labour markets, e.g. by empirical work such as the Barbados Labour Flexibility Survey;
• To identity strategies for enhancing quality employment and reducing unemployment, e.g. by means of the Country Employment Policy Review currently underway in
. .,_, Barbados;
• To contribute to a better understanding of the importance of labour issues in the framework of economic development and trade , e.g. by way of a joint ILO/Caricom Symposium;
• To promote a new paradigm for social partnership and industrial relations, e.g. by . dissemination of publications such as of the report of the Conference of Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Labour Administration in Kingston, Jamaica in November 1997; /
/ • To contribute to the modernization and strengthening of Ministries of Labour;
• To develop guidelines for investors concerning Caribbean standards and practices with respect to labour issues;
22 I • To optimize working conditions and performance in the export industries, in L particular in the export processing zones, e.g. by convening a follow-up meeting to the 1997 Workshop on EPZs in Belize;
• To strengthen the role and competence of the regional employers' and workers' organizations, in particular with respect to the implications of globalization and their participation in policy development;
• To promote new initiatives with respect to human resources development in the public and private sectors, e.g. by developing a Caribbean strategy for workforce retraining;
• To enhance networking and strategic alliances with international organizations, lending agencies, such as the Caribbean Development Bank and the IDB as well as universities and non-governmental organization in the attainment of the above goals.
54. Mr. Momm assured participants that the ILO would continue its efforts to implement activities at the national or multi-country levels, notably to give effect to the agreed ! Country Objective Statements. He remarked that tripartite consultations would be pursued with a view to programming activities, where such statements had not yet been formulated. Mr. Momm noted that national activities should complement and support the regional thrust and relate to the broad objectives as contained in the above-mentioned statement of common problems and objectives.
55. With regar,d to the resources and means of action available, Mr. Momm observed that the ILO Caribbean Office was experiencing some delay in the filling of vacant posts. Nevertheless, the ILO would this year increase the number of senior specialists from six to seven. He referred to the 25% increase in resources of the Regular Budget for Technical Cooperation compared to the past biennium and anticipated that, as in the past, an additional amount of up to US$ I 00,000 may be made available from Headquarters departments under cost-sharing arrangements with CAMAT.
23 56. Mr. Momm noted, however, that compared to the financial possibilities of other grant providing agencies, and considering that the area covered by the ILO included 21 countries and territories, the ILO resources were extremely modest. Consequently, in order to ensure the most effective and equitable use of these small resources, it would increasingly be necessary to focus on high priority matters and to request co-funding from the beneficiaries ofiLO assistance. Mr. Momm said, however, that the ILO would continue its efforts to attract external funding for projects in the labour field. Some of these projects would be implemented and administered by the ILO, in other cases the funding will go directly to the beneficiaries.
57. In closing, Mr. Momm referred to the traditional means of action of the ILO Caribbean Office, which were the provision of technical advisory and training services through the Multidisciplinary Advisory Team of specialists. He remarked ..... that these services would now increasingly be complemented by studies of an analytical and empirical nature as well as by information provision, as he felt that this could contribute significantly to enhancing the capacity ofiLO's constituents to take informed policy decisions. Mr. Momm noted that the ILO Office in Port of Spain is now fully computerized and that it was the ILO's desire to build on-line networks with Government departments and the social partners to increase information flows and to accelerate communication.
58. During the discussion, it was remarked that in the past some investors had refused to recognize trade unions. Therefore, the suggested guidelines for investors would be weico:U7 as it was important to inform investors about the history and practice of industrial relations in the region. The view was also expressed that any consultations with the social partners concerning possible guidelines for investors should also involve the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Commerce. The ILO was commended on its suggestion for an Investor's Guide, but it was clarified that this would have ,to go to Member Stales for endorsement.
24 Item 3: Regional Issues
3.1. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean: A Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) Perspective
59. Mr Goodleigh presented a short swnmary of a discussion paper focussing on current issues in Caribbean labour markets. He referred to the debate taking place among Economists and Political Scientists that aimed at identifying suitable labour policies to address the labour problems of a world economy in transition, characterized by globalization, regionalization and issues of governance.
60. Mr. Goodleigh stressed that globalization gave rise to problems of sovereignty, democracy, worker rights and the protection of the natural environment. He called on governments to be efficient facilitators and to promote labour policies that were consistent with liberal democracy. In closing, Mr. Goodleigh reiterated the need to adopt new models of industrial relations and the need for strong tripartite structures to respond to the challenges of globalization.
3.2. Recent developments and issues in Labour Relations in the Caribbean: A Caribbean Employers Confederation (CEC) Perspective
61. Mr Meyer'reported on the findings following the Belize Meeting of the CEC, which had identified both a lack of meaningful consultation and the need for more information on the current changes in labour relations. He also stressed the regional relevance of a number of national issues, such as Human Resources Development, labour legislation and social security issues. In closing, Mr. Meyer referred to the importance of bilateral discussions with the CCL.
25 62. In the discussion, it was recommended that the CEC urge top-level managers to interact more frequently with the workforce, in an attempt to improve the industrial relations climate. Moreover, it was suggested that the courses on Industrial Relations and Human Resources Development offered by Caribbean tertiary institutions should be mandatory for future managers, and that more students should opt for courses in labour economics. It was again emphasized that a chair in Industrial Relations at UWI was essential for the development of Industrial Relations.
3.3. A CARICOM Perspective on regional labour issues
63. Mr. Rolison Gift, Deputy Programme Manager for Education, Caribbean Community Secretariat, presented a summary of the CARl COM Draft Report of the Seventh Meeting of Labour Officials. He outlined the items dealt with during the Meeting:
..,... • Review of the draft model law on Protection of Employees during industrial action; • Contract Labour; • Ratification ofCARICOM Social Security Agreement; • Progress Report on the Regional Actuarial Social Security Project; • Cost-sharing Proposal for Representation of the Government of Suriname on the Governing Body ofthe ILO; • Developments within the Caribbean Community; • Eighty-six Session of the International Labour Conference; • Report of the 27'h Session of the ILO Governing Body by Suriname; /
64. In the discussion, serious concerns were voiced with regard to the possible marginalisation of labour as a result of placing it within the broad umbrella of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). The representative of CARlCOM assured participants that these concerns would be communicated to the · Secretary General of CARl COM. Furthermore, it was clarified that the new
26 institutional arrangement of COHSOD came about as a result of a decision taken by I_ the Heads of Government.
65. The Ministers appreciated ILO's announcement to continue biennial meetings of Labour Ministers under the auspices of the ILO. On the issue of the CARICOMIILO Actuarial Project on Social Security, the delegates from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago indicated that their countries would not pursue their original commitment to participate in the project. The representative of Guyana expressed concern about this development and the fear that the future of the project might no longer be sustainable.
Item 4: Proposal for an ILO/CARICOM Symposium to discuss labour issues in the context of economic development and trade
'"'-' 66. Mr Momm presented a proposal that was developed in order to widen the strategic support for labour issues from actors responsible for trade and economic policies. He noted that the ILO and CARICOM had tentatively agreed to pursue the question of the importance of!abour issues for trade and economic development in the Caribbean and to examine the issues involved. Mr. Momm stated that the task was to produce sufficient evidence that conditions were in place for a common strategic orientation of Caribbean countries with respect to labour policy. He felt it important to throw more light on the nature of the contribution such strategy could make for the attainment of the wider· economic, trade and development objectives. / /
67. Mr. Momm also said that the Caribbean countries would need a better basis to determine whether this issue should be put on the policy agenda ofthe negotiating machinery that prepares a Caribbean position on the Free Trade Agreement for the Americas (FTAA). Equally, he noted that the region was seeking assurances that the terms of trade that were being negotiated under the FTAA and Lome 5 would not unduly disadvantage the Caribbean region and would not usher in an era of economic
27 and social decline for the peoples of this region. Mr. Momm warned against two opposing trends that threaten to dampen hopes for free and fair trade:
• Clauses and conditionalities that might translate into unbearable barriers to trade for poorer countries and prevent them from accessing the markets of the richer countries. • Powerful pressures on poorer countries to lower even further their standards allegedly for the sake of gaining a competitive advantage.
68. Mr. Momm stressed that there was still no consensus whether countries should respect a certain degree of uniformity on social protection as a prerequisite to trade liberalization. He pointed out that within the framework of the FTAA negotiations, the issues of social and labour conditionality appear not to have been raised so far. Mr. Momm argued, however, that it was quite possible that in the course of the negotiations, the negotiating parties may be confronted with the issue ofNAFTA-type
..,... labour protocols or similar approaches. Therefore, he urged that the negotiating teams and economic blocs that participate in theFTAA negotiations would be well advised to clarifY their positions on this issue in a proactive manner.
69. Mr. Momm noted that it was of equal importance to deal with the opposite view that maintained that countries had to liberalize, deregulate and give up acquired worker rights and practices in order to become competitive in the future free trade environment. He said that despite an emerging international recognition ofiLO's fundamental labour standards, there was a prevailing view that other labour standards and related regulations could be a hindrance to a performing economy and may / deprive countries of trade opportunities. Mr. Momm argued that the Caribbean was, therefore, caught between the pull of regulation and the push for more deregulation. He observed that this situation contained the risk of confused and contradictory policy that needed to be addressed before tackling the wider economic and trade strategies.
70. Mr. Momm recommended a broad based dialogue or "brainstorming" between stakeholders who had an interest in labour markets and economic/trade policy, which
28 I
could possibly be a prelude to formulating a consistent and logical position regarding I_ labour issues in the region's preparation for the FTAA negotiations. To this effect, Mr. Momm suggested a symposium to be held in Port of Spain later in 1998 to review the issues, and perhaps to determine areas for future study and decision.
71. Mr. Momm concluded by suggesting that the ILO's contribution to the Symposium would focus on the special significance of core labour standards as a necessary tool to enable workers to obtain their fair share of the process of trade liberalization. He hoped that the Symposium would culminate in a heightened awareness of how the Caribbean could position itself in the upcoming trade negotiations with respect to labour issues and how the labour dimensions of trade were being dealt with at multilateral and regional integration schemes.
72. After some discussion, the Caribbean Ministers responsible for Labour endorsed the proposal and encouraged the ILO and the CARlCOM Secretariat to pursue ..,_. their efforts in this regard. Following the endorsement, participants were invited to suggest items and issues that should be put on the agenda of the Symposium. Subsequently, a preparatory group was formed with representatives from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, the CCL, the CEC and CARlCOM.
Item 5: International Issues
5.1. The 86'.~ ~ession of the International Labour Conference (ILC), 2-18 June, Geneva
S.l.a. Contract Labour
73. Ms Madhuri Supersad, Planning Officer II in the Ministry of Labour and Cooperatives, Trinidad and Tobago, reported on developments regarding contract
29 ' '
1 labour since the l4 h Meeting of the Standing Committee of Ministers of Labour of CARl COM, at which Trinidad and Tobago presented a background paper. She informed that Trinidad and Tobago maintained a tripartite delegation on the 1 Committee on Contract Labour set up by CARl COM Member States at the 85 h Session of the International Labour Conference.
74. Ms Supersad observed that contract labour was viewed as one of the most controversial items placed before the Conference and that the major features of the proposed conventions were:
• The identification ofthe conditions of dependency and subordination as the core criteria to define a contract labour agreement. • The expanded definition of contract labour to cater for bilateral and triangular arrangements.
·~· • The provisions for exclusions from the application of the Convention. • The obligation to prevent accidents and injury to the health of contract workers. • The responsibility to ensure that all financial obligations to contract workers are met (e.g. wages, social insurance contributions, compensation for injury and disease). • Measures to ensure equality of treatment and protection of contract workers. • Responsibility to ensure that legal rights and obligations are met. • · Mechanisms for the application of the Convention.
75. Ms Supersad noted that both the proposed Convention and the Recommendation had
been ac~/epted by the Conference and that the two items had been placed for second 1 discussion at the 86 h Session of the ILC. She indicated that the Recommendation provided for the following criteria:
• The obligation to provide appropriate information to contract workers. • The prohibition ofthe use of contract workers to replace striking workers. • Joint and several liability of user enterprise and sub-contractor.
30 • Same treatment as that accorded to workers under national law and practice with respect to outstanding claims in the event of insolvency. • Registration of subcontractors . • The encouragement of collective bargaining and the right to join organizations . • The obligations to protect migrant contract workers .
76. Ms Supersad reported that Trinidad and Tobago was working towards the development of a Basic Conditions ofWork Act which, when enacted, would provide basic protection to contract workers. Moreover, a National Minimum Wage Order as well as a Maternity Protection Legislation had been enacted. Ms Supersad also said that both the National Union ofGovememt and Federated Workers (NUGFW) and the Ministry of Labour and Cooperatives had recently organized Symposia on Contract Labour with the assistance of the ILO Caribbean Office. This led to a number of recommendations, which included the following that might be of relevance to the region: ·;..>
• The need to raise standards of contract workers by regulatory measures and the role ofiLO's standards in guiding the development of a country's labour relations regulatory machinery. • The use of labour legislation and collective bargaining to regulate Contract Labour. • The role of Government in the regulatory process. • The need to ensure that regulatory measures did not unduly impinge on a reasonable degree of employment flexibility required by business to increase efficiency and reduce production costs especially if competitive survival was at stake. • The role·of the state sector in establishing acceptable standards of Contract Labour utilisation, given its involvement in work activties with heavy concentrations of Contract Labour (e.g. public works). • The desirability of according special attention to regulating Contract Labour in sub sectors with high proportions of female workers, namely, retail sales, export ' processing zones and hotels and restaurants.
31 77. In closing, Ms Supersad urged the Meeting to indicate particular areas of concern with respect to the Contract Labour Instruments in order to facilitate better regional participation at the International Labour Conference. She suggested that Member States may wish to develop a common regional framework of principles that would guide national action on contract labour.
S.l.b. Child Labour
78. The Honourable Portia Simpson, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sport, Jamaica, presented a paper on the issue of child labour. She referred to the national consultation on child labour that was held in Kingston and which showed that the problem of children in Caribbean labour markets was largely invisible. Ms Simpson observed that Ministers of Labour had a responsibility to address these issues.
•;...• 79. Further, Minister Simpson noted that the Jamaica survey found 22,000 children to be active in the labour market, of which the majority came from the poorest 20% of Jamaican families. She remarked that child labour was much more evident among boys, as rnost girls' labour would be concentrated in (invisible) household tasks.
80. Minister Simpson stated that a number of conferences had broadened consciousness about child labour issues and, subsequently, contributed to social mobilization, efforts for standard setting and programmes of law reform. She pointed out that, as a result, Jamaica had modernized its Juvenile Act of 1951 and ratified both the United Nations / Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ILO Convention No.138 concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. In closing, Minister Simpson stated that governments remained responsible for the welfare of its people and suggested a number of recommendations for Caribbean action regarding Child Labour:
• There was a need for a sustained social mobilization process to look closer at the problem of child labour;
32 I ,
• New educational initiatives were needed; I-' • More and better research data was required; • The problem of child labour had to be tackled in the context of poverty alleviation and radical changes in social attitudes; • The Caribbean needed to define what it considers the "worst forms of child labour", 1 as these would be discussed at the 86 h Session of the ILC;
S.l.c. Job Creation in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (Bahamas)
81. The Honourable Theresa Moxey-Ingraham, Minister of Labour, Immigration and Training, The Bahamas, presented the summary of a paper entitled "Job Creation in Small and Medium Business Enterprises- A Bahamian Perspective". She observed that the Bahamas-just like many other one-product economies- increasingly had .,_. difficulties in absorbing the future labour force into the labour market. She noted that the creation of additional employment could, therefore, not result from the tourism sector alone, but would have to be achieved through the development of small and medium sized business enterprises (SME).
82. Minister Moxey-lngraham stated that her Government had been largely successful in reducing the unemployment rate through the activities of the executing agency responsible for economic diversification and job creation. She listed four basic strategies which the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) promoted in order to assist SMEs with employment creation:
• The provision of factory space in Government-operated industrial parks; • Assistance with the development of business plans; • Assistance with the marketing and merchandising of SME products or services; • Assistance with the implementation, monitoring and management of SMEs;
33 83. However, Ms Moxey-Ingraham stated that the early 1990s brought about significant changes in the informal sector of the Bahamian economy. She pointed out that an increasing number of unemployed or indebted persons moved into home-based and street -based enterprises. She characterized the informal sector as one of the most vibrant sectors ofthe economy and attributed this to its resourcefulness and imagination in finding money from non-traditional sources and the discovery of both inexpensive marketing strategies and market niches.
84. In closing, Ms Moxey-Ingraham concluded that the major obstacles faced by SMEs were the new dimension of international competition imposed by globalization as well as the lack of credit, training and advice necessary to fully realize the capacity. She ended by emphasizing that continuous governmental support would be needed in the SME sector.
...... 85. In the discussion, participants were reminded that the rationale for placing the three items on the agenda was to enable better regional participation at the International Labour Conference and that members should be prepared to support the lead Caribbean countries on these issues at the ILC.
Item S.ld Declaration of Principles of the ILO on Fundamental Human Rights (Barbados)
86. The Honourable Rudolph N. Greenidge, Minister of Labour, Community / Development and Sports, Barbados, presented a paper on the Declaration of Principles on Fundamental Human Rights. He referred to the discussions concerning an ILO Declaration on Fundamental Human Rights, which took place in the Governing Body of the ILO. Mr. Greenidge then identified the seven core Conventions that were considered the foundation for all other human rights and seen as of basic value to all Member states:
34 • Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29) I1- ' • Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No.l05) • Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No.l38) • Discrimination (Employment and Occupation Convention), 1958 (No.111) • Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No.1 00) • Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention , 1948 (No.87) • Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No.98)
87. Mr. Greenidge argued that a Declaration on these core Conventions was important in order to get a fresh commitment of Member States. Moreover, he said that an additional Declaration would enable even Member States that had not as yet ratified all the conventions to express their commitment. Poorer countries would need the assistance of the ILO to safeguard these basic rights and to encourage further ratification.
88. Mr. Greenidge noted that in order to guarantee workers a life in dignity and to prevent labour from becoming a commodity, it would be necessary to effectively monitor compliance with such a Declaration. However, he suggested refraining from international sanctions or penalties that might be considered coercion or which might become a burden on citizens and urged the Caribbean to make its views heard on this matter.
89. In closing, Mr. Greenidge stated that Caribbean countries had nothing to fear, as these rights generally were well enshrined as norms of the region. He observed that in most countries the thrust of the core ILO Conventions equaled national constitutional rights. Yet, in the light of globalization, rapid technological change and the emergence of marginalized sections of the population and the working poor, serious vigilance was necessary to protect fundamental human rights in the Caribbean. Therefore, Caribbean countries should have little difficulty in supporting both the implementation of the planned Declaration and its follow-up mechanism
35 90. In the ensuing discussion, the representative of Barbados was commended for the quality of the presentation. Concerns were raised, however, with regard to the question of not penalizing countries that use child labour or disregard any of the fundamental rights in gaining comparative cost adv!!Iltages. The view was expressed that it would be important to ensure that all countries subscribe to the core set of Human Rights Conventions and to create a level playing field. The Meeting
expressed full support f~r the Declaration.
5.2. International Labour Standards including Basic Human Rights Conventions: Status and Responses (ILO)
91. Ms Constance Thomas, Senior Specialist on International Labour Standards, CAMAT, presented background information on the campaign for ratification of the seven fundamental labour rights Conventions and an update of the ratification record for Caribbean countries. She reported that since the beginning of the campaign, 80 new ratifications had been registered, with five ratifications coming from the Caribbean. Further tripartite consultations on possible future ratifications remained ongoing in several countries.
· 92. Ms Thomas noted that the state of ratification of fundamental labour Conventions by Caribbean states was as follows:
Anti%ua and Barbuda: ratified all except Convention No.1 00 Barbados: ratified all except Convention No.l38 Bahamas: has not ratified Conventions 87, 100, 111, 138 Belize: has not ratified Conventions 100, 111, and 138 Dominica: ratified all Grenada: ratified all except Conventions No. Ill and 138 Guyana: ratified all
36 I I I
Jamaica: ratified all except Convention No.!38 1~ 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis: no ratifications Saint Lucia: ratified all except Convention No. 138 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: no ratifications Suriname: has not ratified Conventions No.I 00, Ill, and 138 Trinidad and Tobago: ratified all except Convention No.l38
93. Concerning the submissions to the Competent Authority, Ms Thomas observed that Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Bahamas had received comments of satisfaction from the Committee of Experts. Equally, she stated that Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago had been positively noted for having submitted all instruments adopted at the ILC. Ms Thomas referred to Saint Lucia as the only country being listed as posing special problems in fulfilling their submission and other reporting obligations.
94. Ms Thomas indicated that the Committee of Experts had cited four countries (Antigua .,.,. and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Lucia) as not supplying all or most ofthe reports due in 1997 and that two of these countries (Barbados and Grenada) had been over a year late in the supplying of first reports. She remarked that these countries would automatically be called before the ILC Committee on Standards in 1998, if they had not supplied the majority of reports before the start of the ILC.
95. In closing, Ms Thomas observed that- with the exception of Saint Lucia- the current reporting record would mark an overall improvement for the Caribbean sub-region in the compliance with international reporting obligations to the ILO.
/
5.3. Other International Labour Conference Issues (Trinidad and Tobago)
96. Ms Supers ad outlined a number of proposals that were submitted by the Government ofTrinidad and Tobago for consideration of the Meeting concerning the CARICOM
37 Region's participation in the International Labour Conference. She listed the following proposals:
• The first proposal concerned an "Adequate coverage of Agenda Items by Caribbean Delegations attending the International Labour Conference". The Government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed that CARICOM Ministers of Labour put in place proper mechanisms to allow for continuity and to ensure adequate coverage of all the Agenda items from a regional perspective. Strategies should involve the identification of focal points for each Agenda Item and better coordination of common positions.
• The second proposal concerned "A Joint Meeting between CARICOM Labour Ministers and the Director General of the International Labour Organization". The Government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed that prior to any such meeting, Ministers at the SCML and Intersessional Meetings should identify issues, which could form the agenda for a joint representation and would need to be communicated •;;..• to the Director-General prior to the ILC.
• The third proposal concerned ''The Caribbean Government Seat on the Governing Body of the ILO for 1999-2002 Triennium". The Government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed that CARICOM in collaboration with Member States undertake all necessary measures to secure endorsement by the Group of Americas of the Region's titular candidacy on the Governing Body.
• The fourth proposal concerned ''The Hosting of a Caribbean Social Function during 1 the 86 h ·session of the Conference" in order to make the region more visible in Geneva. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed that a Caribbean Cocktail Evening be held at the ILC and that necessary arrangements and appropriate cost sharing measures be put in place.
97. In the discussion, there was general support for the four proposals by the meeting. With regard to the second proposal it was suggested that at the occasion of any
38 meeting with the Director General, the Caribbean should also make its desire known I /- to have a higher staff representation in the ILO. In this regard, it was clarified that the ILO Caribbean Office has always sought to fill its positions with qualified candidates from the region, but that the feedback at times fell short of expectations. It was stated that new applications were soon being invited for vacant positions (Employment Specialist, Associate Expert on Social Security). Other issues suggested for discussion with the Director General were Child Labour and the need for assistance with Labour Economists as well as the proposed UWI Chair on Industrial Relations. However, it was pointed out that meetings with the Director General at the ILC were of necessity short and generally of a courtesy nature, which might only provide an opportunity to present issues in a focussed way for consideration.
98. Delegates to the ILC were also reminded ofthe importance of attending meetings of Latin America and the Caribbean group and were invited to make suggestions for the agenda. It was stressed that this meeting would be extremely important in the light of ·~· future hemispheric integration and the fact that the new Director General ofthe ILO carne from Chile. It was agreed that it would be important to prepare the meeting thoroughly, once the agenda is known and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago was requested to take the lead in this meeting. It was also suggested that at least three Caribbean group meetings be held during the Conference.
5.4. The 14th Conference ofiLO American Member States in Lima/Peru, 8-10 December 1998
,' ,/ 99. Mr. Willi Momm referred to the forthcoming 14th Meeting ofiLO American Member States and emphasized the importance of a Caribbean representation. He noted, however, that at this point the agenda of the meeting was not yet known. He clarified that countries invited to the meeting would need to cover their own cost. Despite this, Mr. Momm appealed to the countries to carefully consider attendance, as it was crucial to integrate Caribbean concerns in regional and global policy decisions of the
39 ILO. He observed that issues concerning regional integration as well as the trade and labour nexus might be discussed at the meeting.
Item 6: The role ofthe state in Industrial Relations
6.1. A Government Perspective (Guyana)
100. The Hon. Henry Jeffrey, Minister of Health and Labour, Guyana, presented a paper dealing with the role of the state in industrial relations. He noted that despite the dominant paradigm of privatization, the basic responsibilities of the modem state remain essentially in the realm of service provision, socio-economic development and conflict resolution. However, he argued that the state must also provide modem infrastructure as well as facilitate the development of a skilled and flexible workforce in order to encourage national and international capital to make long-term .,.... investments.
101. To this end, Minister Jeffrey observed that the state had to be made more efficient and needed to explore innovative ways in labour administration under a new strategic direction. He stated that Ministries of Labour should play a major role in policy formulation, with a particular focus on issues of trade and privatization. Yet, Mr. Jeffrey remarked that the state must continue to play its traditional role of safeguarding the basic rights of the working people by institutionalizing effective protective measures. In this respect, he listed the following Acts that the Government of Guyana had recently passed: /
• The Trade Union Recognition Act, 1997 • The Prevention of Discrimination Act, 1997 • The Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1997
40 102. In closing, Minister Jeffrey referred to the emerging consensus that the \_ sustainability of good jobs required the presence of trade unions. Hence, the state must be active at both the level of macro-economic policies and the level of the workplace. In the discussion, the presenter was commended for the quality of the paper.
6.2. Worker's Perspective (Caribbean Congress of Labour)
I 03. Mr. Goodleigh presented the worker's perspective on the role of the state in industrial relations. He referred to the purpose of labour markets in the emerging new paradigm, in which the world was increasingly moving towards an enlarged definition of equity and social justice. Mr. Goodleigh saw the role of goverrunents as being much wider than just acting between competing parties and said that the issue of governance was crucial. He listed the following components for Good Governance:
• High degree of Democratization • Accountability of Goverrunent • Media freedom • Transparent decision making • Competent Goverrunent to formulate policies to deliver services • Respect for Human Rights • Rule of Law • Individual and Group Rights ,' /1 • Right of workers to have access to Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining
104. Mr. Goodleigh was of the view that the state had a distinct responsibility to protect workers from negative side effects of globalization and to maintain the social framework that would help keep the necessary balance of power between the social partners. Mr. Goodleigh also argued that the state would continue to have a role to
41 \
play when it came to determining wages and regulating working conditions. In closing, he argued that the region's labour markets should pursue their economic objectives in the context of a Governance Model that was characterized by a commitment to the following elements:
• Democracy • Human rights • Social clause • ILO definitions relevant to the Labour Markets • Value Added Approach • Government as efficient facilitator • Recognition of social partners as critical to process
6.3. Employer's Perspective (Caribbean Employers Confederation)
I 05. Mr Marcel Meyer presented a paper on the employer's perspective on the role of the state in industrial relations. He noted that traditional labour-management patterns and industrial relations had been adversarial in nature and often based upon mutual distrust. Mr. Meyer argued that in the light of trade liberalization and globalization, innovative and constructive systems of industrial relations were needed. He stated that today' s enterprises required a labour climate that was conducive to employment creation in high value-added industries. Mr. Meyer reported that the Caribbean Employer's Confederation, thus, had a vision of the Caribbean State that saw its role / as an active facilitator of socio-economic development.
106. Mr. Meyer indicated that contract labour and other atypical forms of employment were becoming common features of global labour markets. However, he suggested that child labour was not a regular feature of Caribbean labour markets and that the worst forms of child labour were not found in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, Mr.
42 I
Meyer said the CEC would always support national programmes for the eradication I_ of child labour. I I 07. In addition, Mr. Meyer remarked that labour flexibility and multi-skilling were emerging as employer mechanisms to manage costs, rather than to attack trade unions. He argued that competitiveness meant the provision of superior quality goods and services that, in tum, required a healthy and well-trained population. He urged trade unions to adjust their focus to the new needs of Caribbean economies. Mr. Meyer said that existing labour laws should be amended and emerging issues such as social protection and pension reforms had to be tackled in conjunction with the unions.
108. Mr. Meyer stated that less confrontation was needed and that the CEC was willing to work with both the trade unions and the state in order to bring about proactive solutions. He observed that there was need for greater quality in education and that -· Caribbean enterprises had to invest in training and retraining. Mr. Meyer noted that small entrepreneurs should be empowered and unnecessary costs of job creation should be reduced. In closing, Mr. Meyer referred to the key-elements of the Strategic Plan of the CEC, which centre on the enhancement of research capabilities dealing with industrial relations. He commended the ILO on its work and for bringing a regional perspective to its work programme.
I 09. In the discussion, it was suggested that the social partners consider the special needs of women and persons with disabilities entering the labour markets. It was argued that, the free movement of people within CARICOM Member States was still / .' far from reality and that CARICOM should soon present an update on this matter.
6.4. An ILO View
110. Mr Momm summarized the ILO view on the role of the state in industrial relations. He stated that the ILO promoted the principles of social partnership and
43 tripartism, which were aimed at reconciling differences by peaceful means. Mr. Momm reported that the ILO currently had a special interest in the promotion of bipartite collaboration and other necessary changes.
Ill. In this regard, Mr. Momm noted that the ILO saw the state as a facilitator of social dialogue, which was important in preventing the erosion of trade union power. He argued that globalization might have the unexpected positive impact of ending adversarial relations between unions and employers by developing new forms of cooperation. Mr. Momm observed that new investors would expect workers to be both skilled and motivated, which requires equally a skilful management. Therefore, he urged unions and employers to realize that they were in the same boat, and had to · act together as stakeholders, even if their motives were very different. Mr. Momm concluded by saying that modem industrial relations entailed much more than the settlement of disputes .
..... 112. Next, Mr Momm asked both the Senior Specialists for Workers and Employers Activities to present some oftheir programme activities and views.
113. Mr Evelyn Greaves, ILO Senior Specialist for Workers Activities, presented an overview on Workers' activities for 1998 in the context of the ILO Regional Objectives. He listed the following programmes that were geared towards strengthening the capacity of workers organizations in the Caribbean:
• Improving management and organisation structures within trade unions; • lmprovi1g occupational safety and health as well as the environment; • New challenges in collective bargaining: productivity, bargaining and other non-wage benefits; • Gender issues and International Labour Standards; • Development of research capabilities in the trade unions;
44 j,
114. In closing, Mr Greaves referred to current discussions with the ILO Workers j_' Activities Branch concerning the organization of additional regional seminar dealing with the issues of social security and public pension schemes as well as the implications of Contract Labour.
115. Mr Emru Millette, ILO Senior Specialist for Employers Activities, argued that the role ofthe state was changing rapidly under the combined weight of trade liberalization and globalization. He pointed out that the Human Resources Development was now the most crucial issue for employers' organizations. Mr. Millette noted that the global changes had brought industrial relations to the forefront and this was reflected in the need recognized by the CEC to change the mindset of employers and unions from adversarial stances to consensus building.
116. In the light of these changes and the additional challenges imposed by HIV/Aids through depletion of the ranks of managers, he requested more investment in training ·-· for managers. He also suggested that employers, unions and Ministries of Labour collaborate to mitigate the effects of public sector reform on job creation. In closing, Mr. Millette emphasized the need for national employers' organizations to develop in-house capacity for research and network building.
117. In the discussion, it was stressed that the framework of the state was, indeed, necessary to safeguard social stability and that it was crucial for the Ministries of Labour to play a more pro-active role.
Item 7: A wider strategic vision for Social Partnership and Development
118. Mr. Goolsarran presented the summary of a Consultant Report, that was undertaken on behalf of the ILO by Mr. K. Mulvey from Ireland as a comprehensive review of the labour administration system of four Caribbean states. He noted that the .. Report had a number of recommendations for the modernization of Labour Ministries that were relevant throughout the Caribbean.
45 119. The Report noted that the structures of Labour Ministries had not yet developed a consistent central coordinating policy role in regard to employment, training, enterprise and socio-economic strategies. Other issues regarding public sector reform, recruitment, specialisation, training and the maintenance of morale had also not been addressed in a systematic way.
120. With regard to trade union organisation, the Report stated that the dominant strategy adopted by individual unioris still appeared to be that of the adversarial model -though there were some individual variations and exceptions. The consultant had observed a high degree of inter-union rivalry in some countries, which would appear somewhat detrimental to the adoption of a more progressive view on key issues within their respective economies.
121. With regard to employer organisations, the Report noted that they had a varied history of development in the region depending on the level of public/private enterprise mix in each country. It appeared to the consultant that the scope of their representation in some countries was to some degree limited to particular sectors of the economy or to specific enterprises.
122. With regard to Government, the Report stated that its role as employer featured very strongly in all ofthe countries concerned, with the involvement of particular Ministers/Prime Ministers being central to some industrial relations/pay negotiations. ,. It said that while this was not unusual given the history of the individual countries I concerned, the extent to which major political figures became centrally involved in pay and associated issues was unique. Moreover, he suggested that this was not necessarily the best form of industrial relations intervention and could undermine the industrial relations institutions already in place. The report further stated that Government had a special role to play in the creation of the conditions by which social partnerships can be encouraged and that the basis for such a potential development existed in each country.
46 L 123. Concerning the role of the ILO in the region, the Report found that demands for additional training and technical assistance were increasing in individual countries I and this would obviously have resource and personnel implications for the ILO Caribbean Office. However, it noted that the commitment of the ILO in providing its expertise would have to be matched by individual governmental commitment to quality staffing and in-house training of its own labour administration staff. The consultant felt that this could not be done on an adequate basis without an overall coherent development plan for each of the Labour Ministries concerned and a wider public sector reform.
124. The Report reminded the Ministers of their earlier endorsement ofiLO conventions and the adoption of CARICOM guidelines as an important step in the establishment of a CARl COM Single Market and Economy. Mr. Goolsaraan noted that the question of the political commitment to deliver the objectives and mission set out in this Report and endorsed by Ministers remained to be fulfilled. The Report further noted that the "CARICOM Declaration of Labour and Industrial Relations Principles", which was also endorsed by the Ministers in April 1995, reflected an extensive and comprehensive statement ofthe general principles, which should apply in the conduct, functioning and effective administration of good industrial relations practices.
125. The Report noted that the Sixteenth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government ofthe Caribbean Community, held in Guyana in July 1995, developed this Dec)aration further by endorsing the policy and stating:
(i)"that there was a need to strengthen the human resource capabilities of Labour Ministries in the context of their participation in social partnerships and tripartite discussions".
47 (ii) "that the Secretariat be requested to develop, in collaboration with the ILO, the CCL., and Ministries of Labour, appropriate programmes for the institutional strengthening of Labour Ministries".
Mr. Goolsarran concluded the presentation of the consultant's report by quoting its recommendations for a "wider strategic vision":
• Globalization requires a level of national consensus between both social partners and national politicians of almost unprecedented proportions, if the challenges are to be met and a high level of social development is to be achieved.
• Public Sector Reforms have to lead to more result-oriented, performance-driven and accountable public services.
• Public administrations need to develop amore strategic policy, planning and functional role for the Ministries of Labour in order to revitalize and upgrade their role and status in a reorganized enterprise/employment oriented direction. They should become responsible for all the action aspects of industrial policy, including manpower planning, the development of new plans for indigenous industry and for the implementation and co-ordination of all existing and new labour market regulations and measures including skills training.
• A greater role for qualified senior staff to develop labour market policies in existing Ministries is necessary to improve the co-ordination of national economic strategies. -. /
• A coherent and realistic degree of national planning is necessary to avoid a piecemeal approach and to arrive at an agreed strategy to meet the challenge of global market change. Specific objectives of such a strategy would include encouraging enterprises, ensuring competitiveness, securing a skilled workforce, tackling exclusion from the ' Labour Market, promoting a fair and efficient employment environment as well as
implementing an effective busi~ess regulatory system.
48 I I_ • Tripartism needs to be strengthened, encouraged and supported, which would require a high degree of trust, commitment and support between the social partners. Such a I process would involve consultations and bargaining, shared understanding of the key mechanisms, solid government commitment, a problem-solving approach, trade-offs between and within interest groups as well as a political dialogue.
• The development of a coherent and integrated policy regarding human resource developments is important for the promotion of long-term economic growth, the securing of existing jobs, the promotion of equality of opportunity and higher employment levels. This would require both organisational change and important inputs in the areas of skills training, further linguistic acquisitions and technological training.
126. In the discussion, it was pointed out that the findings of the Report were very much in line with the earlier discussion on the need to move labour to the forefront of economic policy making and that it had important implications for changing the framework for policy formulation. It was suggested, therefore, that the recommendations should be brought to the attention of the national Governments by Ministers and that the findings should be fed into the national policy process. However, it was also argued that this would require further institutional capacity building, which will necessitate jitrther assistance by the fLO.
,, Item 8: An IDB Labour-Market Study for the Caribbean Region
127. Mr. Neville Beharie, Regional Economic Adviser, Inter-American Development Bank, stated that the IDB had traditionally worked with the public sector and only recently widened its collaboration with the private sector, labour and civil society. He reported that the broadening ofiDB's relationships were taking place in the context
49 of liberalization on the international scene, changing roles of social partners in the countries and an increased emphasis on consultation and participation.
128. Regarding the !DB's activities relating to Labour, Mr. Beharie listed the following aims:
• Strengthening ofthe analytical base: in addition to the regional study under discussion, country-level studies were planned for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago; • Dialogue at the politico-strategic level: the IDB President had two meetings with labour union leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean during the last two years; • Operational activities, particularly in the area of training with MIF resources .
129. In closing, Mr. Beharie hoped that the Bank's analytical work and strategic dialogue would not only strengthen its own operational work, but also assist the region in its own social partner deliberations as well as in its hemispheric integration negotiations.
130. Mr. Badrul Haque, Regional Coordinator, Inter-American Development Bank, presented a summary of a Draft CGCED Report on "Workers and Labour Markets in the Caribbean". He thanked the ILO for the opportunity to make a presentation and assured participants that the final document would reflect their concerns. Mr. Haque, then, stated that in view of globalization and the need to be competitive, there were
1' compelli,ng reasons to undertake structural reforms now:
·. • Economies will fail to achieve their optimal growth paths without comprehensive (as opposed to sectoral) reforms that promote labour market flexibility. Labour legislation must allow for market flexibility with sufficient safety net features for workers, to ease the adjustment process.
50 I
• In view of trade liberalization and globalization, previously protected businesses I~ cannot survive for long by simply depleting their capital stock.
• The erosion of third party preferential regimes reinforces the urgency of reform, as domestic businesses must compete increasingly at international prices.
• CARICOM Heads of Government agreed in 1996 to accelerate the move towards a Single Market and Economy. This necessarily requires free movement of goods and services, capital and labour.
131. Mr. Haque noted that one of the major problem in the region was the measurement and comparability of unemployment rates across countries. He went on to suggest that whatever the true measure of unemployment was, the primary policy focus should be on productivity growth rather than on unemployment reduction. Mr. Haque saw the problem compounded by a shortage of workers with high technical and managerial skills, lack of good work ethics, and poor job matching services. He indicated that there was a lack of linkage between wages and productivity and that severance payment was too high in certain countries. However, he also observed that non-wage costs were not high when compared with other regions. Furthermore, he emphasized that dialogue between trade unions and management in many countries was reportedly weak.
132. Mr. Haque, then, pointed to five broad areas where new programmess were ,. needed to effectively compete in the global market:
• The increased supply of productive workers, which would help to promote productivity growth. This will necessitate higher investment in human capital formation together with an improved quality of education and carefully designed skills improvement programs in which businesses, unions and government participate.
51 • The creation of increasing employment opportunities, which would tackle the persistent unemployment rates of the region. This will require appropriate policies and programs that assist existing entrepreneurs to be internationally competitive and promote small businesses in particular.
• The development of a human resource management system, which would make efficient use of the skill distribution that already exists. This will necessitate a well developed labour market information system that would provide for the active participation of businesses, unions and governments.
• The improvement ofthe industrial relations management, which would reduce the number of work stoppages and its disruptive effect on both productivity and output. This will require finding ways of improving worker participation in the production process and also necessitates adequate training for Labour Advisory Councils and other stakeholders.
• The institutional strengthening of national statistical agencies, needed to collect and analyze data on new emerging labour market trends, such as casualization of workers. This will require further training of staff to assist timely policy formulation.
133. In ending, Mr. Haque noted that global experience suggested that it was even harder to establish adequate institutions of governance than to implement structural reforms. He then invited participants to send their comments for the Final Report, as soon as possible. /
134. Prof. David Begg, IDB Resource Person questioned whether better cooperation was a sufficient response to the challenges of globalization. He pointed to the need for more investment in people, a better trained workforce, and social safety nets.
!35. In the discussion, doubts were raised as to the reliability of some of the data presented, notably on the number of untrained teachers and real wages in the
52 I Caribbean. However, it was suggested that the IDB docwnent pointed to a broad L consensus regarding the strategic need to reeducate, to increase the productivity and to strengthen tripartism.
136. The ILO indicated its readiness to contribute to the five progranune elements, as all areas fell into its competence. The IDB priority areas were finally endorsed by the meeting.
Item 9: Other Business
137. CARICOM was requested by the Meeting to inform member states as soon as possible when the next meeting of COHSOD dealing with labour issues would take place.
Item 10: Closing Session
138. Mr. Rolison Gift made brief remarks on behalf of CARICOM.
139. Minister Moxey-Ingraham, on behalf of the Meeting, thanked the Government of Guyana for its warm hospitality and support throughout the meeting. She commended ,. ', Mr. Momni, Mr. Goolsarran, and the entire ILO team for planning and convening this Meeting, which presented a great opportunity for sharing ideas and reviewing experiences. Special thanks were expressed to the Chairman for conducting the meeting with great efficiency.
140. The Chairman then expressed his own appreciation and declared the meeting closed after the usual exchange of courtesies.
53 MEETING OF CARIBBEAN LABOUR MINISTERS Le Meredien (Pegasus) Hotel, Guyana 23-24 April, 1998
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Mr. Austin Josiah Labour Commissioner Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs
THE BAHAMAS
Honourable Theresa Moxey-Ingraham Minister of Labour, Immigration and Training Ministry ofLabour, Immigration and Training
Mr. Donald Symonette Director of Labour Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Training
BARBADOS
Honourable Rudolph N. Greenidge Minister of Labour, Community Development and Sports Ministry of Labour, Community Development and Sports
Mr. Carston Simmons Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour, Community Development and Sports
BELIZE ·. / Honourable Elodio Aragon Minister of Public Service and Labour Ministry of Public Service and Labour
Mrs. Marian McNab Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Service and Labour
Mr. Edney Bennett Labour Commissioner Ministry ofPublic Service and Labour I 2 I~ BERMUDA
Mr. Edwin Wilson Director of Labour and Training Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety
DOMINICA
Mr. Matthew George Acting Labour Commissioner Ministry of Legal Affairs, Immigration and Labour
GRENADA
Senator Lawrence A Joseph Minister of Education and Labour Ministry of Education and Labour
GUYANA
Honourable Henry B. Jeffrey Minister of Health and Labour Ministry of Health and Labour
Mr. Claude Marks Permanent Secretary Ministry ofHealth and Labour
Mr. Mohamed Akeel Chief Labour Officer Ministry of Health and Labour
JAMAICA
Honourable Portia Simpson ,. Minister ofLab.our, Social Security and Sport Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Sport
Honourable Anthony Irons Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Sport
Mr. Alvin Mcintosh Director-General Social Security Department Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Sport 3
Dr. Glenda Simms Executive Director Bureau ofWomen's Affairs c/o Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Sport
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
Honourable Rupert Herbert Minister of Education, Labour and Social Security Ministry of Education, Labour and Social Security
Mr. Clifford Thomas Labour Commissioner Ministry ofEducation, Labour and Social Security
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Mr. Bernard Morgan Labour Commissioner Ministry of Agriculture and Labour
SURINAME
Honourable M.A.F. Pierkhan Ministef of Labour Ministry of Labour·
Mr. Alphonsus M. Karg Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Honourable Harry Partap Minister ofEabour and Co-operatives Ministry of Labour and Co-operatives Mr. Louis McShine Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour and Co-operatives
Ms. Madhuri Supersad Planning Office II Ministry of Labour and Co-operatives 4
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS [_,
Honourable Hilly Ewing Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Labour and Her Majesty's Prison Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Labour and Her Majesty's Prison
Mr. Tomlinson Skippings Permanent Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Labour and Her Majesty's Prison
CARIBBEAN CONGRESS OF LABOUR
Mr. Lloyd Goodleigh President
Mr. George De Peana Consultant
Mr. Kertist Augustus General Secretary
CARIBBEAN EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION
Mr. Marcel A. Meyer President
CONSuLTATIVE ASSOCIATION OF GUYANESE INDUSTRY LTD.
Mr. David King Member of Council
GUYANA TRADES UNION CONGRESS
Mr. J.H. Pollydore General Secretary
.i' <- INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Mr. M. Badrul Haque Regional Co-ordinator
Professor David K.H. Begg Resource Person for IDB Project
Mr. Neville Beharie Regional Economic Adviser 5
CARICOM SECRETARIAT
Mr. Rolison Gift Deputy Programme Manager, Education
Dr. Steven Mac Andrew Deputy Programme Manager, Labour and Manpower Development (Designate)
Ms. Maxine Brown-Lawrence Administrative Officer
Ms. Enid E. Bissember Project Officer Economic Policy
ILO CARIBBEAN OFFICE AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM (CAMAT)
Mr. Willi Momm Director
Mr. James Williams Deputy Director
Mr. Samuel J. Goolsarran Senior Specialist- Industrial Relations and Labour Administration
Mr. Emru D. Millette Senior Specialist- Employers Activities
Mr. Evelyn E. Greaves Senior Specialist- Workers Activities
Ms. Constance Thomas Senior Specialist- International Labour Standards
,, Mr. David Nii Addy Research Officer
Ms. Kathleen Hinkson Secretary I . L I . I
r .
I .
I :
I . I , I :
I I .
I
I .
I I ,