Several business owners in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are now well informed on protecting their rights as employers as well as the rights of their respective employees, following the hosting of a seminar on Guyana’s Labour Laws through the Ministry of Labour.
The seminar, which was held on Monday at the Bartica Town Council, provided in-depth information on various labour laws, including those governing overtime payments, termination of employment, severance pay and occupational safety and health requirements, inspection and record-keeping, the national minimum wage, probation periods, and leave with pay.
It also covered the various services being offered by the Ministry such as skills training opportunities through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and employment opportunities including the ‘Job Readiness’ programme to boost one’s chances to gain employment with the help of the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) among other services.
Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine addressing the gathering
The seminar was led by Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine, with support from Senior Labour Officer Prandatt Basdeo, Labour Officer. Martin Murray, and Board of Industrial Training (BIT) Officer Joseph Bharrat.
Deonarine told the gathering that the Ministry has been making significant strides in improving Guyanese people’s access to its services despite their geographical location in keeping with the government’s manifesto promise to enhance its citizens’ access to government services.
This approach, he said allows the Ministry to conduct some five hundred and four (504) inspections at various businesses in Bartica, over the last three years.
A step that the Chief Labour Officer stated has yielded positive impacts as it allowed the Ministry to identify and rectify businesses that were once not in full compliance with the country’s labour laws during this period. Similar efforts were made for at least seventy-five businesses in 2022.
Mr. Deonarine pointed out that at the national level, the ministry has engaged with more than one thousand (1000) businesses/companies, which employed approximately 58,000 workers, over the last three years in similar seminars.
A section of the seminar
He said that the Ministry has recorded a 45 per cent decline in complaints from workers as of July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
His Worship Mr. Anthony Murray, Mayor of Bartica, expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the informative and comprehensive seminar. He emphasised the importance of such initiatives in empowering local businesses with the knowledge needed to operate within the legal framework, thereby contributing to the overall well-being and development of the community.
The Ministry of Labour remains committed to ensuring that businesses across Guyana are well-informed and compliant with the nation’s labour laws, thereby fostering a fair and safe working environment for all.
