Earlier on we showed you what the Customs and Excise Department is
doing to improve and strengthen their security measures. Another government
department is planning on its own upgrade and this time the entire workforce
stands to benefit. How? Well the initiative is referred to as a decent work
country programme and over the next two days the International Labour Organization
will be meeting with the tripartite partners, representatives from government
departments, including the Ministry of Labour, the National Trade Union Congress
and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The participants will take an in depth
look at the project and what is needed to develop and achieve the programme
for Belize. Acting Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams explained the programmes’
concept to 7News and why it is not only the employees who will benefit.
Ivan Williams,
“We have already identified three areas which we consider to be priority
areas; that is harmonization labour legislations in Belize, for people to develop
skills and help them to be employable; employability. And the third one has
to do with institutional strengthening of the stakeholders. Those are the three
areas that we in Belize have decided to ask ILO’s assistance because decent
work covers all sorts of areas. From wages, freedom of rights of association
and rights, to belong to trade unions, it covers the whole aspect of businesses
being able to pay affordable wages and the whole dignity of the human person.
Decent work is a branch of the human rights and so decent work covers every
aspect of employment.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you believe by the end of the year it will be implemented?
Ivan Williams,
“Well we have a tripartite partners on board and so once we can agree,
then it is just a matter of developing the program and implementation and we
have very good working relationships with the tripartite partners; the Chamber
has always been on board for a number of initiatives and the TUC and so we are
optimistic that again they will rise to the occasion and do what is best for
the country.”
The workshop is being facilitated by the Director of the ILO Sub=Regional
Office for the Caribbean Dr. Ana Teresa Romero. It concludes on January twenty
eight.
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