Government of Guyana and social partners sign Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP)

PORT OF SPAIN (ILO News) - Dr. the Honourable Nanda K. Gopaul, Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and the social partners of Guyana signed on to the International Labour Organization-supported Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) on 18 April 2012 at the Ministry’s Boardroom, Brickdam. The signatories to the Programme included Samuel Goolsarran, Executive Director of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries Limited (CAGI); Norris Witter, President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC); Kenneth Joseph, General Secretary of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG); and Dr. Giovanni di Cola, Officer-in-Charge, ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean.

The Decent Work Country Programme is the mechanism through which the ILO supports the efforts of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations in anchoring the goal of decent work in national development policies, programmes and strategies. It focuses on ways in which creating jobs, while promoting respect for rights, social protection and social dialogue, can be made central to social and economic development.

Minister Gopaul, prior to signing the agreement with the ILO team in Guyana and the several social partners, said that the Government, through the Ministry of Labour, is committed to working with the several social partners signing on to the document.

“Dealing with labour issues is not an easy job so this piece of document will indeed be a great help to the sector…this is not the first time the ILO has helped Guyana in developing legislation and, for this we are grateful for the guidance and technical support,” Minister Gopaul explained.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic administration, he said, is committed to pursuing fair and equitable practices in the labour sector as they continue to help employers to create a safe and fair environment for employees. In this regard, he said that the Government will continue to create a favourable environment for investors and, thus create more jobs for its populace. Against this background, he said the Ministry will be investing the necessary resources in training its staff to execute the document in a professional and effective manner.

Dr. Giovanni di Cola, Officer-in-Charge, ILO Decent Work Team for the Caribbean praised the Ministry of Labour for signing on to the document, and emphasized the specificity of the Decent Work Country Programme for Guyana through which, he said, the ILO will continue to provide support to both the Government and the social partners particularly in: the creation of green jobs and decent work; the enhancement of technical and vocational education and training; the promotion of entrepreneurship education and training; the development of cooperatives; and the strengthening of the capacity of employers and workers’ organizations.

The priorities for the DWCP were informed by three key national development frameworks: the National Development Strategy (2000-2012), the Poverty Reduction Strategy (2001), and the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (2009).

The Programme was drawn up at a national tripartite workshop convened in March 2010 by the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and the social partners with the technical support of the ILO. It was preceded by internal preparatory consultations in the Ministry, within the employers’ and workers’ organizations and within the National Tripartite Committee.

The long term aim of the DWCP is, among others, to promote low-carbon economic activities that generate decent work and sustainable enterprises.

It should be recalled that at the ILO Tripartite Caribbean Employment Forum in 2006, Governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations adopted the Tripartite Declaration and Plan of Action for realizing the Decent Work Agenda in the Caribbean.

Guyana is the tenth Caribbean country to sign on to the DWCP, following the Bahamas, Belize, and seven members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.