-Min. Scott says industrial relations court/tribunal to be established
-more focus on cooperative societies

MIINISTER within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott believes it is time for the local labour laws to be amended since Guyana is expecting an inflow of foreign businesses due to the new-found oil wealth.

“We have embarked on a path to update key labour legislations, to synchronise them with enlightened thinking and practices…These laws include the Labour Act, Legal Aid Act, Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Friendly Societies Act and the Schools’ Thrift Act, Chapter 36:04,” said Minister Scott during his presentation in the National Assembly on the second round of the budget debates on Tuesday.

He argued that the most important piece of legislation is the Labour Act which, despite being adjusted in the past, is still deficient in many ways. Scott said an example of a deficiency is the need for an employer to produce the requisite employment records to the ministry to facilitate the reasonable resolution of differences between the employer and an aggrieved worker or ex worker is not provided for on a compulsory basis.

“This is against our mandate as a ministry, a mandate which is about fairness, justice and objectivity…these values cannot be manifested in the current laws,” he said, adding that the Labour Act will be amended to allow for the compulsory submission of necessary records in a resolution of complaints.

The minister was optimistic that the adjustment would benefit the ordinary worker and promote human development. Addressing and improving labour management relations, he said, is also high on the agenda for 2019 and as part of the efforts the ministry has undertaken to establish an industrial relations court or an industrial relations tribunal.
The ministry has engaged stakeholders who comprise the National Tripartite Committee which is examining a proposed bill, which should lead to the creation of a court or tribunal.
“It will enhance labour management relations and quality of life for all workers who should be able to experience a decent standard of work,” said Minister Scott.

He said the improvement does not stop there, since the ministry will be resuscitating cooperative societies which Scott believes would inevitably transform the economy.
Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Gillian Burton argued that the labour budget only provides for cooperatives and does now have a holistic focus on improving the lives of workers. Scott was however adamant that cooperative societies would increase economic development.

“We now have the task of rebuilding these institutions from the ground up since we found the cooperative societies and credit unions in a perilous state,” said the minister, adding that they have encountered several challenges such as lack of interest and knowledge of the benefits of cooperatives.

Despite the challenges, he said the ministry, through its Cooperative Development Department, has been working in collaboration with the Guyana National Cooperative Credit Union Limited to regulate cooperative societies. Scott said there are 31 registered societies, 35 applications and 150 functioning societies, 25 of which are credit unions.
Part of regulating the societies is maintaining financial integrity through principles and practices of auditing. In 2018, 33 audits were ordered and 20 were completed. The department has since taken auditing seriously and is working to ensure that all societies are audited in a timely manner and in line with the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFT).

“The requisite legal provisions dictate that these societies must make a contribution to a special fund called the audit and supervision fund which covers cost and auditing,” said Minister Scott, noting that a total of $31 million has been paid into that fund.
In the coming year, they will be intensifying that aspect of their mandate and expanding the programme to revitalise the thrift society in the school systems. “With assistance of the Attorney General Chambers and other stakeholders, we are involved in a campaign to rid societies of dishonest elements as we seek to reeducate and promote transparency and accountability,” said the minister.