ILO to work with Guyana to enhance workers’ safety in growing O&G sector

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has signalled its commitment to work with the Guyana’s Government through the Labour Ministry to enhance worker’s safety in the country’s growing oil and gas sector.
This commitment was made by the Director General of the ILO, Gilbert Houngbo during talks with Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton on the sidelines of the 112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) being held in Geneva from June 3 to 14, 2024.
The ILO, the only tripartite of the United Nations (UN), brings together governments, employers and workers from 187 Member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
According to reports, the collaboration with Guyana is part of efforts to enhance the delivery of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) countrywide, which will be transferred into the Oil and Gas sector. It was previously noted that approximately 6000 Guyanese are actively working in the local sector.
Of that number, over 900 individuals are employed as plant and machine operators, 1,203 as professionals including accountants, lawyers, and engineers, and another 485 as technicians.

These persons account for over 65 per cent of the sector’s workforce, owing to the approval of more than 29 local content master plans to date, in keeping with provisions of the Local Content Act of 2021.
Nevertheless, the Guyana Government is still forging ahead with plans to train more Guyanese to take up various posts. It is with this in mind, that the current administration engaged the ILO to ensure that Guyanese can benefit from sustainable economic growth in a safe and hazard-free environment.
In this regard, ILO has pledged to help Guyana develop a comprehensive migrant labour policy framework as well as assist in consolidating the country’s labour and labour-related legislations.
Conference
The 112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) being held in Geneva aims to bring together all tripartite delegations to discuss a series of topics related to the world of work.
Among issues discussed thus far, are Decent Work and the Care Economy, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Biological Hazards, ILO’s initiatives and support to the CARICOM Member States, which would include data collection, advancing the decent work agenda, the situation in Haiti, the Global Coalition for Social Justice as well as targeted support and initiatives for the Caribbean.
The Ministers also took note of the offer from The Bahamas to host the next CARICOM Regional Labour Ministers Meeting.
Guyana’s Tripartite Delegation is being led by Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton and includes Advisor to the Minister of Labour, Gillian Burton-Persaud; Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Guyana in Geneva, Ambassador Bevon McDonald; President of the Federation of Trade Unions in Guyana (FITUG), Carvil Duncan; Council Member of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Rowena Elliot; Counsellor, Kerry Karim, and First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Guyana in Geneva, Colin Luckie.
On Monday, Minister Hamilton chaired a Ministerial preparatory Caucus of the CARICOM Labour Ministers.
During the meeting, the Minister expressed his appreciation to the Director General of the ILO, Gilbert Houngbo for “honouring the commitment to meet with CARICOM Ministers participating in the ILC”.
He also expressed the Region’s continued appreciation for ILO’s support and suggested that methods to include skilled and qualified CARICOM Nationals for opportunities within the ILO should be explored.