Minister Fahy On Labour Meeting In Trinidad

Madam President, I’m pleased to provide a meeting report following my participation at the Eighth ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on the 2nd & 3rd July, 2013. I was accompanied by Mr. George Outerbridge, Director of the Department of Workforce Development.

The all inclusive cost of the trip for both Bermuda representatives was underwritten by the ILO – airfare, hotel and per diem.

Madam President, the meeting was structured around the theme: “The Caribbean and Labour, 2013 and Beyond: Strengthening Decent Work For Development.”

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Labour and other high-level representatives of the Ministries and Departments of Labour of the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Also attending was the ILO Director-General, the CARICOM Secretary General as well as representatives of the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation and the Caribbean Congress of Labour.

A total of 21 delegations were present, 16 of which were led by Ministers.

Madam President, early in the session, the attendees were invited to recall the discussions of the 7th ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers, 2010, entitled “Coherence for Human and Social Development in the Caribbean”, which underlined the importance of the Labour Ministries contribution to human and social development through the Decent Work Agenda and the value of policy coherence in relation to labour migration, harmonization of legislation, social security systems, labour market information systems, technical vocational education and training, and entrepreneurial education in particular for young persons entering the workforce.

The recollection of the seventh meeting served to help establish the framework for discussions for the eighth meeting.

Madam President, acknowledging that each country and territory of the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, while sharing certain historical and cultural similarities, is faced with different economic and social realities, it was agreed that there is scope for working together for a Caribbean-wide response to the emerging opportunities and challenges.

Madam President, meeting participants concluded, amongst other things, that:

1. Ministries of Labour have an important role in promoting and advancing policy coherence with the aim of making decent work a central goal of national and regional development efforts, and to ensure that it be an explicit goal in the post-2015 agenda. Further, that Ministries of Labour need to ensure the integration of labour dimensions in trade, economics, finance, education, health and well-being, and environment, as well as to reinforce the importance of effectively engaging in social dialogue forums to ensure a tripartite input in these areas.

2. Reviewing and modernization of labour law needs to continue to ensure improvements in decent work. And, greater attention needs to be paid to the harmonization of legislation in support of economic integration and the creation of an enabling environment for sustainable enterprises, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and a regional labour market.

3. Ministries of Labour should play a key role in developing an integrated labour market responsive to business needs while recognizing the needs of workers.

4. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on productivity enhancement to support economic growth and job creation. (This discussion was led primarily by Bermuda and Cayman wherein the issue of finding the balance between guest workers and locals presents similar challenges).

5. Systems for workforce education and training with emphasis on entrepreneurship education, particularly of young persons, are strengthened and technical and vocational education and training, including reform of curricula to place greater focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics are enhanced.

Madam President, these discussions and conclusions were timely; the dialogue productive and the relationships that were established – invaluable. I have already engaged in follow-up communication with several of the Ministers from other jurisdictions that I met at the meeting to share Bermuda related information and to seek information with respect to specific policy and legislative framework used in their respective jurisdictions, particularly as it relates to the modernization of Bermuda’s labour laws.

Madam President, The Ministry of Home Affairs, in consultation with the Labour Advisory Committee (LAC) had already incorporated the modernization of Bermuda labour laws into the LAC agenda prior to the Eighth ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers and it is expected that a review process will commence in the coming months.

Many of the jurisdictions attending the meeting have already commenced labour law reviews with a view to modernization. Partnerships and information exchanges with some of these jurisdictions as well as the ILO will most definitely assist in expediting Bermuda’s review.

Meanwhile, Bermuda is already ahead of many of the other jurisdictions as it relates to “defining systems for workforce education and training”. Senate Colleagues will be aware that the development of Bermuda’s National Training Plan is well underway wherein a planning framework has been approved by the Ministry and the sub-committees are actively engaged in the research phase.

I have agreed to share our findings and outcomes with Ministers in other jurisdictions to aid their planning efforts. Likewise, the Minister from St. Kitts, following a robust discussion on ideas to stimulate economic growth and development, has agreed to share information with Bermuda with respect to its economic citizenship programme. A programme designed to stimulate economic activity through investment.

Madam President, I am grateful to have participated in the Eighth ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on the 2nd & 3rd July, 2013. I look forward to strengthening the relationships with Labour Ministers in the region and to long and productive working relationships that are mutually beneficial to our respective Island homes.

Thank you Madam President.

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