Labour Ministry getting new look

THE Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro-Enterprise Development will be moving in style in 2005 to make sure that it is among the top performing ministries in the country. This fact came to light on Friday night when for the first time in its history, the ministry hosted an End-of-the-Year function at the auditorium of the  Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas.

In its quest to get on the right track, the ministry’s Director, Human Re-source Service Bianca Browne gave an indication of things to come.
Addressing an audience of mainly ministry staffers from different areas of the country, she referred to overcrowding at the ministry’s main base, Riverside Plaza and the scattering of departments throughout Port-of-Spain. She told her work colleagues and other invitees: “Some of you would have noticed the multi-colour treatment of the exterior of the building formerly occupied by the Ministry of Health at the corner of Independence Square and Duncan Street.

That building will shortly be occupied by this ministry.” But she did not say which departments would occupy it, since things are in their embryo stage. The Ministry of Health’s new headquarters is at the corner of Edward and Park Streets in Port-of-Spain. Browne said the ministry now has a Legal Services Unit which will provide in-depth legal assistance to the various departments on a more timely basis. She also disclosed that the post of Facility Manager had been created, so that the maintenance needs of the Riverside Plaza building can be expeditiously addressed. Also, according to Browne, all four elevators at the Riverside site are to be replaced in 2005.

More than that, a contract has been awarded for the refurbishment of all the washrooms at Riverside Plaza. And as a form of staff motivation, Family Day will return and will be held in March of each year, before the advent of the rainy season. According to Browne, other plans in the melting pot include a more structured approach to the celebration of key national public holidays like Eid-ul-Fitr, Divali and Emancipation. The ministry will also continue to emphasise the development of staff members through seminars, and gymnasium, recreation and child care facilities and proper cafeteria facilities will be established. The plan is also for 25 percent of the staff of the ministry to be exposed to training in conversational Spanish. And too, a special training programme in Information Technology will be organised for senior officers of the ministry.