THE revitalised Department of Labour which falls under Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes has been able to recover $59M in wages owed to workers from the period May to December 10, 2015.Minister Broomes, speaking at a press conference held at her Brickdam office on Wednesday, explained that the monies were from overtime payments, severance pay and other allowances that were overdue.
Additionally, the department for the period January to May this year was able to recover $20M from errant employers which was also owed to the workers, taking the total thus far for the year to just over $79M.
The media was informed, however, that there are other employers who are in the process of preparing payments for other disenfranchised workers, which are to be paid before the end of the year. The department is very optimistic that once those payments are made, the year-end figure could then be close to $100M in cash for workers.
Minister Broomes explained that the total collection for the entire 2014 from employers for workers was $31M. This year the ministry was also able to close 715 complaints between May and November and conducted just over 820 inspections while prior to May there were 372 cases that were closed.
INSPECTIONS
It was also noted that the previous administration had placed a freeze on inspections at business places.
Since the APNU+AFC Government came into office, the Labour Department has also been able to engage employers and employees in 12 training sessions while only seven were conducted for the previous months leading up to May.
Inspections were carried out at places such as Regent Street, Bartica, Qualfon, Barama, Madhia, Lethem and Port Kaituma and Broomes noted that the struggle for workers’ rights is one of the key policies of the David Granger administration.
The inspections were not just restricted to the coastland, the minister reminded, as she pledged to ensure that in the new year her ministry would continue the fight and take it to wherever necessary and wherever the calls and cries of the workers are heard.
“Our aim is to reverse some of the wrongs and injustices that have become a normal practice against workers over the years,” Minister Broomes told the press as she vowed to continue working with the same passion as she and her ministry enters the New Year.
Meanwhile, with respect to sweepers and cleaners not being paid in accordance with the minimum wage, the ministry is moving to address the issue and will be engaging the unions in the New Year on this matter, the minister said.
TIP LEGISLATION
It was also noted that the Department of Labour and the Ministry of Social Protection will be looking to have some amount of amendments to the Trafficking in Persons legislation, as Broomes reminded that trafficking is not only about sexual exploitation but also child labour, forced labour and other areas.
She said that there is need for compensation to persons and the legislation once revised would be addressing that very sore issue, adding that Trafficking in Persons is not restricted to the interior but also occurs on the coastland.
At the moment the ministry is compiling a report on its cases since May of this year and so far the Department of Labour was able to make 200 cases that are engaging the attention of the courts.
Broomes also referred to the workers at the Tower Hotel who were dismissed and not offered any form of payment even though the courts granted the proprietor a six-month period to enter into a payment plan with the ministry but the man never contacted the Department of Labour. That matter is expected to be taken to a higher court even as the workers remain hopeful that they will someday have their monies owed by the businessman.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labour continues to file matters in the courts against errant employers.

By Leroy Smith