National Child Labor Policy for April launch

─National Action Plan to be crafted also

─Labor Department clamping down on child labor in Hinterland areas.

DPI, Guyana, Saturday,  March 30, 2019

The Ministry of Social Protection is working assiduously to implement measures to curb child labour and is urging the public to report any cases of children being employed.

On Wednesday last, at the recent Ministerial outreach held at the Square of the Revolution, Deputy Chief Labor Officer, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin disclosed to the Department of Public Information that the Labour Department will be launching a National Child Labor Policy in April and will enforce drastic measures for those persons who employ children.

“We are also developing a National Action Plan to help in our fight against child labour. We started last year to develop our policy and we hope for the draft action plan to be launched at the same time as the policy,” Vansluytman-Corbin said.

According to the  Chief Labor Officer several organisations including the Trade Union’s Movement, the Employers Organisation, the Ministry of Education, several businesses, religious and youth organisations and NGO’s collaborated with the labour department to implement the policy, .

“There have been three reported cases for 2019, we are following up with those cases but we are concerned and continue to work towards eradicating child labour in the mining areas within the hinterland communities. However, because of our intense sensitisation exercises, we are receiving good support to put an end to child labour,” Vansluytman-Corbin said

She further stated that the Department of Labor has reached out to several communities to ensure that word gets out that child labour is illegal and persons caught employing children will be prosecuted.

The policy was crafted after an extended period of consultations and workshops with the relevant stakeholders from Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Ten.

Ayana George

Images: Ameer Sattaur