Strengthening partnerships for decent work in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (ILO-News) - From 16–19 September 2025, the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, led by Mr. Joni Musabayana, Director, undertook a mission to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) as part of its Strategic Engagement strategy to deepen partnerships and tailor support to the OECS. The team included Ms. Vera Guseva, Specialist, Workers' Activities, Mr. Abdelmalik Muhummed, Specialist, Employment and Labour Market, and Ms. Ingerlyn Caines-Francis, Senior Programme Officer.

Over the four-day mission, the ILO engaged with a wide cross-section of Government, employers, workers, and development partners, reaffirming its commitment to advancing social justice and decent work in SVG.

Policy and Government engagement

Engagements with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour underscored the country’s key labour priorities and the opportunities to deepen alignment with ILO programmes. In meetings with Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister, and Ms. Raquel Lawrence, Labour Commissioner, discussions focused on strengthening national systems for occupational safety and health (OSH) and governance, improving the availability and use of reliable labour market data, and reinforcing social dialogue as a functional mechanism for advancing decent work.

The mission also had the opportunity of a courtesy call on Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. On conclusion of the discussion which looked at a wide range of issues, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening labour institutions and advancing decent work in line with national development goals.

Strengthening social dialogue

The ILO met with representatives of the Public Service Union (PSU) represented by First Vice President Gweneth Baptiste Stoddard and General Secretary Shelly-Ann Alexander Ross and their team, as well as the National Workers’ Movement (NWM) led by General Secretary Mr. Noel Jackson. These discussions focused on revamping the labour congress, enhancing workers’ representation and promoting meaningful social dialogue.

A meeting with the Saint Vincent Employers’ Federation (SVEF), led by Executive Director Mrs. Phyllis John Primus, explored challenges being faced by employers, current institutional priorities of the SVEF and the importance of tripartite dialogue.

Social protection and labour market resilience

The team met with Mr. Stewart Haynes, Director of National Insurance Services (NIS), and discussed, among other things, support to the 13th Actuarial Valuation and feasibility study on an Unemployment Insurance Scheme which is aimed to go beyond an income replacement mechanism toward a framework that ultimately improves employability. The NIS was commended by the ILO for deliberate action taken to implement recommendations of actuarial assessments and their demonstration of impact.

Additionally, consultations with Mrs. Lavorne Williams, Chief Statistician at the Central Statistical Unit, Ministry of Finance, explored ways to strengthen labour statistics and promote evidence-based policymaking. In particular, she outlined plans for strengthening labour market information systems.

Partnerships for development coordination

To ensure alignment with broader development efforts, the ILO team met with Ms. La Fleur Quammie, UN Country Coordination Officer for SVG, and discussed how the current focus of UN programming in country can support national labour and employment priorities. She emphasized the importance of collaboration across UN agencies in advancing shared development priorities.

This mission provided a renewed platform for the ILO to support SVG in shaping policies and programmes that address the realities of workers, employers, and communities. By combining technical expertise with strengthened partnerships, the ILO remains committed to advancing decent work and social justice across the OECS.