Jason Hayward, Minister of Economy and Labour, this week attended the 13th International Labour Organisation’s meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour, which serves as a precursor to the 113th International Labour Conference, which will be held in Geneva in June.

Mr Hayward also attended the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) – (Labour), presented by the Caribbean Community’s secretariat, to address critical issues related to labour in the region

The two-day series of meetings in Georgetown, Guyana concluded yesterday.

A Bermuda Government statement said the gathering included ministers of labour and senior officials from 13 member states and nine non-metropolitan territories across the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

Also in attendance were representatives from the ILO, notably Gilbert Houngbo, the Director-General, as well as regional workers’ and employers’ organisations.

Held under the theme “Decent Work and Resilience: Securing the Future of Caribbean Labour”, the meeting explored several key issues facing the Caribbean region, including: the democratisation of the ILO governance; labour migration; just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies; protection against biological hazards in the workplace; the platform economy; and, the formalisation of the informal economy.

At the opening session, Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour for Guyana, issued a call to action, urging his colleagues to “sustain momentum as a Caribbean community” by acknowledging labour disparities and actively addressing them through collective, structured action.

Mr Houngbo issued a reminder that although the region has made a lot of progress in securing workers’ rights: “The path forward requires collaboration, trust and a shared commitment to building societies that prioritise fairness, dignity and opportunity for all.”

During yesterday’s second session, ministers engaged in general dialogue with Mr Houngbo, covering topics such as the ratification of the 1986 Instrument of the Amendment of the Constitution of the ILO, the ILO programme and budget, US funding, and the upcoming Second World Summit on Social Development.

Ministers also raised matters such as a greater need for investment in workers' social protections, workforce development to support emerging industries, inclusive economic growth through access to opportunities and ensuring a labour environment that addresses global challenges and ensures the protection of women and the most vulnerable in society.

In one session, Mr Hayward emphasised the importance of regional unity in strengthening labour protections in the Caribbean, stating: “The ratification of certain ILO conventions creates a dignified standard to progress the world of work.

“We saw how a concerted effort to not adopt certain ILO conventions due to the language used in the convention leaves certain categories of workers vulnerable.

“As a region, we need to ascertain which ILO conventions are essential to us and make a commitment that together we will ratify them.

“Additionally, we must create protocols which successfully close the gaps that exist within the region in an effort to effectively combat the challenges that we face collectively; otherwise, while we attempt to close old gaps, new ones will open.”

Mr Hayward was accompanied by Gabrielle Cann, director for the Department of Labour, who also participated in the Meeting of Caribbean Senior Officials of the Ministries of Labour, on April 6.