Local Govt Elections influenced rise of sustainable enterprises – CLO

The Local Government Elections have had a positive influence on the creation of sustainable enterprises, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle has said.

Ogle was addressing the launch on Wednesday of a two-day National Tripartite Workshop at the Grand Coastal Hotel, which discussed the enhanced policy advocacy for sustainable enterprises.

The Chief Labour Officer said other factors that have led to this success include: social dialogue, easy access to financial services, entrepreneurial culture, easy access to information and communication technology, the rule of law, and respect for property rights.

Ogle, who was filling in for Social Protection Minister Amna Ally and Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, advised the participants to collaboratively submit their thoughts for the design and implementation of specific modalities to be operationalised in Guyana.

“I need not reiterate the premium value which Guyana has placed on the relation it has with the ILO (International Labour Organisation), but I must submit at the conclusion of this event, Guyana will be better positioned to achieve its Strategic Development Goals against the backdrop of our Decent Work Country Programme,” he stated.

While recognising that participants would be empowered to understand and utilise data within the context of promoting sustainability in enterprises, Ogle urged them to deliberate and discuss the concept of sustainability at length, so that it was driven home to as many businesses as possible.

“The development of enterprises is one thing, but it is the sustainability of those enterprises that matters much. Far too often, business ventures mushroom overnight and disappear before they can significantly impact national development. This is not what is expected from here onwards. Let me repeat, what is expected is sustainability and that is what we should strive for,” he remarked.

The Chief Labour Officer said the 2017 Budget contained several measures designed not only to make the conduct of business easy, friendly and confortable, but also for the vibrancy and sustainability of all business enterprises.

“The fact that this forum is tripartite by composition is testimony to the stakeholders’ commitment to inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation. It cannot be overemphasised that the factors, which influence the emergence, growth and development of enterprises are wide and varied.”

He also boasted that Guyana was now seeing a new level of peace and political stability, “It is the kind of peace, which is conclusive to the development of sustainable enterprise.”

The Enabling Environment for Sustainable Enterprises (EESE) team aims to improve the business environment to encourage longevity of businesses, thorough red tape assessment and enterprise formalisation, among other measures.

It is a comprehensive and powerful ILO methodology developed to assess, advocate, and reform the environment in which enterprises start up and grow.

It allows stakeholders to identify the major constraints hampering business development; fosters dialogue between workers, employers, and the government to reach shared policy recommendations; boosts investments; and can generate overall economic growth.

The workshop is being facilitated by two ILO Caribbean Office officials, Senior Employers’ Specialist Vanessa Phala and Enterprise Specialist Kelvin Sergeant.

The ILO-sponsored event will culminate on Friday, April 28, 2017.