JAMAICA: Labour Minister Reinforces Commitment to End Child Labour

#Kingston, July 4, 2018 – Jamaica – Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, says the Government is committed to strengthening the capacity of regional labour inspectors to eliminate child labour.  She was speaking at the opening of a ‘Training of Trainers Workshop’ on Labour Inspection, with a focus on Child Labour, and Occupational Safety and Health, held on July 2 at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston.

“The Government is very pleased to be hosting this workshop to strengthen the capacity of our regional labour inspectors as part of our international thrust to eliminate child labour,” the Minister said.

“This regional initiative will promote integrated strategies at all levels to end hazardous child labour and address the specific safety and health issues faced by workers,” she added.

Thirty-three trainers from the Ministries of Labour in Jamaica, Guyana and The Bahamas are participating in the workshop, which is slated to run from July 2 to 6.  It forms part of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour regional initiative.  For her part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Colette Roberts Risden, said the workshop will greatly enhance the capabilities of labour inspectors in identifying issues of occupational safety and child labour, “which, ultimately, will lead to a better and safer region for our children”.

The workshop is being facilitated by Brazilian inspectors under the South-South Technical Cooperation Programme between Brazil and the ILO and hosted by the Ministry’s Child Labour Unit.

Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Jamaica, His Excellency Carlos Alberto M. Den Hartog, who brought greetings at the ceremony, said the workshop will assist in building the capacity of labour inspectorates to deliver training programmes to address child labour in Jamaica and other participating countries.

“It represents an important opportunity for countries to enhance the (resources) available in each country of the region to achieve a comprehensive and quicker result in eliminating child labour.  It is a tool for the strengthening of the political efforts of governments to mobilise resources for eradicating child labour,” he noted.

There are nine participating countries under the initiative.  These are The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Haiti, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.  The objectives of the workshop are to build national capacity in labour inspection, with the aim of improving the enforcement of national labour laws and contributing to the reduction and elimination of child labour in the country.

Release: JIS