The National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health is in its finalization stage. The Ministry of Social Protection, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization [ILO] and the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health, on September 21, 2017 met with several stakeholders to finalize the document at a one-day workshop, held at the Herdmanston Lodge.
Present at the workshop were representatives from the ILO, the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry [CAGI], the Guyana Trades Union Congress [GTUC], the Federation of Independent Unions of Guyana, among several private sector and other organizations.
The workshop was divided into two parts – the opening ceremony and a workshop session where groups studied and critically analyzed the National Policy document.
In his opening remarks Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, said, “in the finalization of the document the parameters should be extended to include oil and gas” which he cautioned is “an entirely different ball game”. He said accidents need to be related in the terms of loss, not only human loss in cases of fatality but also economic loss also. The Minister called for more conscious efforts to be implemented towards reducing accidents and said although all causal factors cannot be controlled, it is important that organizations double their efforts to minimize same. Stakeholders present were reminded of the fact that all accidents should be reported to the Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour within four days of occurrence and immediately in cases of fatality. Each case of fatality is investigated.
Guyana is currently working to implement the new decent work country program before the end of 2017 as the government continues to receive support from the ILO. The decent work country program is the main vehicle through which countries receive support from the ILO. It has two main objectives: To promote decent work as a key component of national development strategies and to organize ILO knowledge, instruments, advocacy and cooperation at the service of tripartite constituents in a results-based framework to advance the Decent Work Agenda within the fields of comparative advantage of the Organization.