Green State Development Strategy must be people centered- ILO Specialist

DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 23, 2018

“Development is really about people, and we must put them first.”

This was the charge of International Labour Organisation Job Creation Specialist Kelvin Sergeant.

Sergeant was speaking at a sensitisation workshop at Tower Hotel in Georgetown.

“As you transform and transition the economy, that transformation needs to be a just one. It needs to fair, it needs to be equitable and as the government says, “no one must be left behind,” Sergeant implored.

He said that despite all the physical transformation to infrastructure, employment and labour need to be important in the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS),” Sergeant said.

He explained as the economy transforms, several changes will be made that are in keeping with the ILO 2015 guidelines on “Just Transition” in the economy. Some of the factors he noted include the treatment of workers, workers’ rights, the labour laws to name a few.

ILO Sustainable Enterprise Development and Job Creation Specialist, Kelvin Sergeant

Some government officials at the skills and Just Transition Guidelines sensitisation workshop

ILO Social Dialogue and Labour Administration Specialist, Rainer Pritzer interacts with government representatives

The Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department, the ILO and social partners today hosted a sensitisation workshop for government officials.

The workshop is the first in a series which will be conducted over the coming weeks to address issues relating to labour, in particular, Skills and Just Transition Guidelines in the GSDS.

Sergeant also underscored that the development of skills in various sectors is crucial to the growth of the green economy. Alluding to the recent oil find, the ILO specialist said that Guyanese must prepare themselves for this transformation.

Today’s workshop saw presentations by ILO representatives on the process and updating of skills for green jobs in Guyana; the guidelines for a fair transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy and society and Guyana’s ‘Decent Work Programme’ to name a few.

Another three more sensitisation workshops will be conducted with the Trade Unions, the Private Sector and officials from the Skills/Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

By: Crystal Stoll