Dear Editor,
I would like to know if the labour laws of Guyana are not applicable to employees in both public and private sectors. I have worked in both sectors and have observed that many employers in the private sector do not adhere to the labour laws of this country. When Minister Broomes was in the Social Protection Ministry she had embarked on a campaign to visit both private and public sector places of employment in an effort to verify whether those employers were adhering to the labour laws. She was made aware of the disadvantages suffered by employees as a result of those breaches of the labour laws. Those employers are involved in such malpractices because the employees have no union representation. Since Miss Broomes has been transferred to another ministry, this campaign seems to have been suspended, so the violation of the labour laws continues.
I have worked with a private sector company and this company was in breach of many of the labour laws which resulted in the employees’ rights being violated. The employees of this company work from 07:30 hrs to 16:30 hrs but are only paid eight hours for that period of work. There are some employees who have been employed there for more than two years and are still classified as temporary staff. Drivers work the same shift but because they are required to work during the lunch period they are being paid a meal allowance of $260. Employees who have worked in excess of five years continuously are only granted two weeks’ vacation per year. A vacation allowance is paid, but this is not done as a one-off payment but as the normal or regularly weekly payment. With regard to compliance with the NIS rules and regulations this company is in breach of many of those requirements, thereby denying those employees who are contributors to the scheme the benefits to which they are entitled.
Finally, I have observed the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission being very vocal recently on several matters of interest to the private sector. As an employer in the private sector also I would like him to encourage his members to abide by the labour laws of this country at the same time ensuring their employees are justly treated. What he should also remember is that there is a saying which goes, one has to put one’s own house in order first before attempting to put someone else’s house in order.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Gill
