Contract labour cannot be completely eliminated

Baptiste-Primus was deliverying the feature address on government policy at the launch of the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE ) Conference to be held by the American Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AMCHAM) on November 14 and 15 at the Hyatt Regency, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. She added that the Cabinet is also considering amendments to the Industrial Relations Act; the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act; and the Co-operative Societies Act.

The minister said in the last administration there were stories about irregulaties in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including OSHA workers being housed in “sick” buildings and OSHA offices being shut down, but under the current administration, the Government is ensuring suitable accommodation for staff, including locating a healthy building at Alexandra Street, St Clair as its head offices.

She said the department was also getting new offices in Tobago, which she has ordered must be occupied before the end of July, and competent and qualified staff have been hired in several top positions.

When she took over as minister, she said, there were provisions for 152 positions but only 50 were filled and almost 200 of the staff of the OSH Agency were working from home because of the lack of suitable accommodation. Many of them, she said, took the opportunity to open businesses, and pursue higher education.

Baptiste-Primus said the ministry had since prepared a building on Park Street, Port of Spain, which would become its main building and will house several other departments.