Weeks after she lost her reputed husband in a mining pit accident, a young mother faced added hardship when her mother-in-law forcefully removed her from the house she called home even as she fights to get some form of compensation from her husband’s employer.
This is just one of the many heart-rending complaints the Ministry of Social Protection receives on a daily basis but according to Minister within that ministry Simona Broomes, who has responsibility for labour, companies and businesses would have to tow the line when it comes to the labour laws.
“The conditions generally that Guyanese are working under have to change…,” the minister made clear during an interview with this newspaper.
The minister spoke of what she described as the “horrid” conditions under which Guyanese workers are forced to work and she issued a strong warning that the labour officers would be going after errant employers.
And it is not only the private sector that has to pull up their proverbial socks but also government ministries and agencies. Since taking the oath of office Minister Broomes has visited several companies and while some were found to be taking their workers’ well-being into consideration she found “atrocious conditions” at others.
One of the areas the minister plans to focus on is how employers treat with industrial accidents. She pointed out that according to the labour laws companies have four days to report an accident on their worksites and should there be a death it must be immediately reported to the ministry.
“Persons failing to carry out these actions would be sanctioned. All of the accidents that occurred from since this government took office I have sent officers out there to investigate,” the minister said giving the
