New labour office to provide access to opportunities, workplace improvements – Labour Minister

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, M.P. on Friday commissioned the first Labour Office in Springlands, Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The Labour Minister said the office will provide access to opportunities such as training programmes, through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and allow employees to voice their complaints and concerns, to enable improvements in the work force.

Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton M.P.

Minister Hamilton added that the labour officers attached to this office are at present stationed at the New Amsterdam Office, however, they will relocate to the new office shortly. He also said the labour officers will be ensuring the health and safety of workers and will intervene in difficult situations relating to labour.

“I say to them they best don’t get too comfortable at New Amsterdam, they are just resting there for the while, and I hope they understand that, and I’ve made it clear to them, when you take my job, you take my job to work at Corentyne…I was clear in my instructions as to who must be recommended.”

The Minister urged everyone to fully utilise the labour office and to foster engagements among business personnel, the upper chambers, and residents, to ensure the development of good labour relationships.

The newly commissioned Labour Office in Springlands, Berbice.

“So that we can work together to develop the labour relations in this part of the region, in this part of the country and what we are doing here, we are also doing across the length and breadth of Guyana,” Minister Hamilton noted.

The Labour Minister concluded by emphasising that his Ministry is committed to constructing two more labour offices in every region across the country to ensure equality of services to the citizens.

Meanwhile, Region Six and BIT Chairman, Mr. David Armogan said BIT has been taking a new direction of training persons in non-traditional areas because of the “massive” developments taking place across the country.

“Since I took over the Board of Industrial Training, we are trying to chart a new direction in the sense that traditionally the Board was involved mostly with school dropouts, persons who were not doing anything and wanted to procure a particular skill for employment purposes.”

The audience at the simple ceremony.

Today even though we are still focusing on that to some extent our training has been extended now into non-traditional areas, because of the direction our country is going,” he said.

He noted that with the massive expansions in various areas, there will be a need for more skilled persons in Guyana.

“More businesses are coming in, more industries are coming in, manufacturing and of course the oil and gas industry, and as a result of that what you will find is that more skills are necessary for us to develop,” Mr. Armogan added.

Approximately $7 million was expended for rental and renovations to the office building.

Chief Executive Officer of BIT, Mr. Richard Maughn and His Worship, the Mayor of Corriverton, Mr. Winston Roberts also attended the ceremony.

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