THE Ministry of Labour on Friday commissioned its first regional office in Anna Regina, Region Two as part of its efforts to decentralise its services.
Speaking at the simple commissioning ceremony, subject Minister Joseph Hamilton said the establishment of a labour office in the region is part of a wider project of the government to provide optimum services to the workforce. The establishment of extension offices across the country, he said, will mitigate labour woes faced by both employers and employees alike.
He said that in some regions, more than one extension offices will be established. “Some regions would have more than one office to ensure that services are given labour relations matters to

pay attention to employer and employee issues; to pay attention to safety within workplaces and training, “Minister Hamilton said.
He said, too, that the office will also see the revitalisation of co-operative societies across the region.
“At the level of co-ops, we hope to revitalise co-op societies, and to bring them to a place where we can establish a legitimate regional society that all the bodies can look to for guidance.”
Through the office, a chain of communication will be set up between employers and employees to not only provide jobs, but also maintain healthy work environments.
“We will have the central recruitment and manpower officer here, creating relationships with employers and employees to [provide] persons seeking jobs [employment],” Minister Hamilton said.

Training programmes, he said, will also be provided to residents, especially the younger populace, under the newly- established labour office.
“We don’t just send people out; we do some rapid training about etiquette, responsibility and all these things to be in a job,” he said, adding: “So, we prepare them for the world of work; those are some of the things that we will do here across the region.”
Anna Regina’s Mayor, Rajendra Prabhulall said the office will improve labour relations within the township, and the region as a whole.
He said that the office will also provide more accessibility to residents who wish to have tgheir labour issues resolved.
“There are a number of issues with these private sectors and so forth, and I think this office is going to help them understand the labour laws,” the Mayor posited.
He said that in the past, several employees would have made complaints about their employees, and that with the establishment of an office in the region, persons can now see their complaints being addressed and errors being corrected.
Other key officials present at the commissioning were Regional Executive Officer (REO), Devanand Ramdatt; Regional Chair, Vilma Da Silva; and President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Aadil Baksh.