Labour Laws under review to further safeguard workers’ rights

The Ministry of Labour is currently reviewing the Labour Laws to further safeguard the rights of workers.

Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton made this assertion while appearing on the Kaieteur Radio Wake Up Guyana Show earlier today.

“We are reviewing the labour laws and regulations, seeking to strengthen them and amend what is outdated, and to add new legislation to what we already have,” Minister Hamilton said.

Several laws and regulations make up the Labour Laws of Guyana. These include; the Holidays with Pay Act, the Wages Council Act; Labour (Condition of Employment of Certain Workers) Act; Employment of Young Persons and Children Act; and the Occupation Safety and Health Act.

Once the review of these laws and regulations are completed, the Ministry will be presenting a legislative agenda to the Attorney General Chambers, Minister Hamilton said.

To ensure full adherence to these key Laws, Minister Hamilton announced that approximately 40 Labour and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officers will be trained and placed in all of the sub-districts in the 10 Administrative Regions. 

Additionally, officers will be trained in Portuguese, Mandarin and Spanish to ensure proper communication with the Brazilians, Chinese, Venezuelans and Cubans who have joined the country’s labour force.

“Our mandate is to protect workers’ rights, all of our workers … I will resolutely seek to execute my mandate and use all channels and the law to protect our workers,” Minister Hamilton reiterated.