The blogmaster listened recently to an extract from a speech by Minister Ryan Straughn where he emphasized the importance of Barbados investing in our youth because this is where future growth will have to originate. He was quick to clarify for those that would assume the obvious the older demographic will not be neglected given such a focus. The preamble
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Prior to the introduction of the Employment Rights Act, employment in the private sector in Barbados was regarded as a mere commodity like any other, capable of being granted and re-purchased by the employer at the latter’s whim by a sufficient payment in lieu of the damages to which the employee would be entitled where the dismissal was not in
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It is at least ironic that in debate last week on an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 2012 [ERA], the Honourable Minister of Labour, Mr Colin Jordan, should have excoriated some employers for treating their workers as self-employed in order to avoid responsibility for paying national security [NIS] contributions on their behalf and others for failing to recognize the
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I had every intention of staying away from politics during the current election campaign. However, after hearing the concerns of a few friends of mine, who happen to be Democratic Labour Party supporters, about the employment prospects of some government ministers, in the event of a change in government, I have decided to put their minds at ease. Their concerns
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On Tuesday, May 16, 2017 the Daily Nation published a story headlined, CONTRACT ROW, where it was reported that workers, from a construction company, called in their union to deal with a matter concerning changes to their contract. Also, on May 12th the Barbados Today reported that the Minister of Labour, Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo, told Barbadian employers to put their
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The Barbadian employee and, in some cases, his or her representative union, might agree with the second part of the opening couplet of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities” that these are indeed “the worst of times” or, if they are not, they do come pretty close. Last week, we heard from no less a personality than the Honourable
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BU shares the Caswell Franklyn Nation newspaper column – he is the General Secretary of Unity Workers Union and BU Contributor. To my mind, Government’s primary duty is to protect its citizens, and as an employer, […]
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