Labour Ministry will be more vigilant on enforcement

After Region 10 tour…
Labour Ministry will be more vigilant on enforcement
Guyana Chronicle, 28 August 2007
MINISTER of Labour, Mr. Manzoor Nadir has warned that his Ministry will
be more vigilant in the enforcement of laws, including those dealing
with occupational health and safety (OHS).

A release said he issued the warning after he and a high-powered team
of officials from his Ministry paid a one-day visit to Region 10 (Upper
Demerara/Berbice).

According to the release, Nadir said, for 2007, inspections of
workplaces have increased many times and has resulted in greater
compliance by workers.

The release said the ministerial party visited several businesses and
found the need for more awareness, among employers, of the labour laws.

The statement said, at one supermarket, the officials detected at least
three violations, including not granting enough time (one and a quarter
hours) for the lunch break; not providing at least one seat for every
three employees and lack of knowledge of the minimum wage for shop
workers.

They also discovered that workplaces had staff lifting heavy objects on
uneven floors while there was no OHS overseeing committee as stipulated
in the related legislation and one employer had a number of foreigners
whose work permits had expired.

The release said improvements in working conditions were noted at the
operations of Bai Shan Lin but there was one instance of a difference
in pay between male and female workers.

As a consequence of their findings, Minister Nadir promised that,
within six weeks, an awareness workshop would be organised for
employers and employees.

He said it is also clear that the Labour and Occupational Health
Officers must be better trained and be more thorough with their
inspections.

The release said Nadir exhorted employers to sign on to the HIV/AIDS
prevention campaign and be involved in greater collaboration on it.