Saint Lucia reaffirms ILO partnership to strengthen national labour landscape

CASTRIES, SAINT LUCIA (ILO News) - The ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean is reinforcing its presence in Saint Lucia as a result of recent strategic engagements aimed at addressing critical labour market challenges.

During a mission to Saint Lucia from November 19 to 20, 2024, the ILO team, led by Dr. Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Caribbean Office, identified key areas for collaboration and technical support to advance national labour priorities.

The visit featured a courtesy call with the Honourable Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte, Minister of Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour, and Gender Affairs, as well as targeted meetings with senior officials from the Department of Labour, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, and other key stakeholders.

Ian Orton, Specialist for Social Protection and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), met with senior OSH officials and the Labour Commissioner to address concerns about workplace health and safety Their discussions explored initiatives to strengthen occupational safety standards and promote healthier workplaces in Saint Lucia, including the need to review the national OSH policy and contend with mould in workplaces.

A meeting was also held with the Director and Chief Actuary of the National Insurance Corporation to follow up on their 12th Actuarial review and discuss the idea of ratifying ILO Convention 102. Ian also met with technical representatives of the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment to discuss their approach to social assistance.

Abdelmalik Muhammed, Specialist for Employment and Labour Market Policies, joined Employment Officers to explore the development of a Labour Market Information System (LMIS). The innovative system will aim to improve data collection and analysis, enabling evidence-based policy decisions that support employment growth and labour market resilience.

During the mission, the team also met with Kendal Khodra, Acting Permanent Secretary for Education and Vocational Training, to review the state of Saint Lucia’s skills development landscape. A visit to the Centre for Adolescent Renewal and Education (CARE) highlighted efforts to enhance vocational training for marginalized youth. The team toured a new hospitality and catering training facility, constructed under the ILO-led project, “Upgrading Saint Lucia’s Capacity to Provide Impactful Vocational Training for Marginalized Youth,” with support from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.

The mission also marked a significant milestone as the ILO was officially invited by His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules, Director-General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), to serve as a Strategic Partner in the OECS Labour and Social Protection Councils of Ministers.

“This partnership underscores the ILO’s commitment to harmonizing support for OECS Member Countries and fostering regional development,” explained Ingerlyn Caines-Francis, Senior Programme Officer at ILO Caribbean, who also joined the mission to Saint Lucia.

The meetings in Saint Lucia built on insights from a recent courtesy call to the ILO Caribbean Office in Port of Spain by the country’s tripartite partners. During the visit (7 and 8 November 2024), the Honourable Minister Albert-Poyotte; Permanent Secretary Shiela Imbert; Vern Gill, President of St Lucia Employers Federation and Julian Monrose, President of St Lucia Trade Union Federation, shared national labour market insights to shape future collaboration.

The ILO looks forward to advancing a stronger partnership with Saint Lucia, ensuring a more inclusive and dynamic labour landscape for the benefit of policymakers, workers and employers.