Minister of Labour, Senator Dion Foulkes, has reaffirmed The Bahamas’ commitment  to abiding by the spirit of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) constitution as the organization celebrates its 100th Anniversary. 

In  January of this year, the ILO mandated its 187 member states to plan and organize a national event to commemorate and showcase the work the ILO has done in the 100 years of its existence. 

In fulfilling that mandate, the Ministry of Labour, along with the National Tripartite Council, the ILO’s Decent Work Team and Country Office for the Caribbean Region and Social partners, hosted a symposium yesterday. 

Mr. Foulkes in his remarks noted that “43 years ago, May 25, 1976, The Bahamas became a member of the organization, a strong public statement that the people of The Bahamas were committed to the fundamental principles of the ILO as enshrined in its constitution. 

“As an active member of the ILO, the Bahamas over the forty-three years has benefited significantly from adopting various conventions and recommendations of the ILO and enshrining the same into our Statute Laws. In fact, I hasten to add that the Bahamas has ratified all eight of the ILO Core Conventions and implemented a significant number of recommendations in our countries laws, regulations and policies,” Mr. Foulkes said.

The ILO has played a significant role in The Bahamas crafting its labour organization and as the country has been the first country in the region to adopt the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programme – a programme that promotes decent work as a key component of national development strategies – Mr. Foulkes said as minister he has benefited for the resources of the Decent  Work Team. 

“The International Labour Organization Decent Work Team & Country Office for the Caribbean Region, or as it was previously known, the Caribbean Regional Office, has been instrumental in assisting the Social Partners in the Bahamas.

“The Regional office has aided the Bahamas with providing support in amalgamation of the two Employers Umbrella organization to create the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation; consultation on amendments of Industrial Relations Act, Employment Act, Health & Safety Work Act, National Tripartite Council Act, and the Minimum Wage Act.

“Establishment of the National Productivity Council and Draft Productivity Legislation.  Establishment of a National Policy on Child Labour and the elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Providing multiple education and training opportunities for members of our Social Partners in
the region as well as the ILO Training Facility in Turin, Italy,” Mr. Foulkes said. 

With 190 million people worldwide without jobs – 65 million of them younger than 25- The Bahamas is working with the ILO to not add to those numbers. 

Regional Director of the ILO Claudia Coenjaerts recognized the steps the country has taken towards the Decent Work Agenda, a key pillar she said to the 2030 agenda of fair globalization and poverty reduction. 

The symposium explored the work the ILO has done in the country as well as the continued dialogue for the 2019-2021 strategic goals as set out by the National Tripartite Council.