Stronger worker protections, modern labour laws coming – Labour Minister pledges

The newly appointed Labour and Manpower Planning Minister, Kemona Griffith, has said that his focus will be on strengthening Guyana’s legal framework for labour relations and ensuring that protections and opportunities for workers match the country’s rapid economic growth.

Griffith, 34, who is among the youngest Ministers in the new Cabinet sworn in following the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) landslide victory at the September 1 General and Regional elections, described his appointment as both humbling and a divine calling. During a recent broadcast interview with the state media, he described his appointment as both humbling and a divine calling.
“I truly believe it was a divine appointment. I really believe God spoke to the President concerning me,” he said. While acknowledging the achievements of his predecessor, including training programmes that benefited more than 15,000 persons and historic job creation numbers, Griffith said his priority will be to modernise labour laws to balance the needs of employees and employers.
“What I want to do is to ensure in this term the Ministry of Labour has the requisite legal framework to balance and to manage all that is taking place,” he explained. “We have to have a strong legal framework to protect the interests of employees… but we also have to ensure it’s balanced to also manage the interests of employers.”
The young Minister brings to the post nearly a decade of legal practice, with experience at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court. He also previously served as Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Bar Association, where he worked on consultations for new legislation and on modernising the filing system of the Magistrates’ Courts. Griffith has also served on the Juvenile Justice Committee and as one of President Irfaan Ali’s youth advisors.
Reflecting on his rise to national leadership, Griffith said his appointment demonstrates the President’s commitment to empowering younger voices. “It really signals a commitment to young people in this country, that this Government, this President, is not only interested in having young people serve, but also the transition of leadership… handing down major responsibility from those who’ve been in public office for a very long time to somebody like me,” he said.
Looking ahead, Griffith said he envisions a transformed working class and a happier people by the end of the Government’s term. “I see a more united people in the next five years… where citizens are happy and able to experience really the greatness that everybody around the world is seeing and boasting about,” he said.
The new Minister has pledged an open-door policy and encouraged citizens to engage with the Ministry. “Come into the Ministry. There’s a lot of information, a lot of opportunities. Come and find out,” he urged.