Government is moving ahead with revisions to the country’s labour laws to improve and clarify redundancy and workers’ retrenchment severance benefits, Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus has confirmed.
She said government currently has in hand draft policy positions for revision of the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act (88:13) which prescribes procedures to be followed concerning redundancy and provides for payments of severance benefits to retrenched workers.
Baptiste-Primus disclosed this during Thursday’s Senate debate on amendments to allow payment of pensions and gratuity to fire officers who acted in posts for three years prior to retirement.
That matter was in the works since 2003 when Baptiste-Primus, as Public Services Association president at the time, negotiated the terms, which were approved by the Peoples Partnership administration in 2012.
Baptiste-Primus said T&T’s labour legislation requires amendment as many pieces of legislation have passed their time, no longer affect the rights and privileges of employees and employers and need to be modernised to ensure the rights of both parties are upheld.
She said T&T has an estimated 580,000 workers and there are 22 pieces of legislation under the Ministry’s purview. A ministry committee is reviewing the labour legislation and has prioritised ten laws that are due to be updated in the near future.
These include amendments to the Industrial Relations Act, Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act (88-13), Workers’ Compensation Act (88:05), Occupational Health and Safety Act (88:08) as well as laws governing Cirpriani Labour College, as well as friendly societies and co-operatives.
Also under review is legislation governing the private security sector, laws to eliminate child labour and to set terms for citizens entering the labour market.
Draft policy positions concerning the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, Co-operatives Act and the Industrial Relations Act are before Cabinet, she added.
By 2020, all such legislation will be revised, said Baptiste-Primus, adding” “It’s not a promise, but a commitment to deliver,” noting that consultations were held on several of the laws, including the IRA and Retrenchment/Severance Benefits act.
Also in the Senate
Energy Minister Franklin Khan defended Government’s hiring of retired Energy Permanent Secretary Selwyn Lashley in the same post of PS for a year.
Replying to Opposition queries on a one-year contract for Lashley, Khan detailed several areas where he said Lashley’s expertise and input is needed including preparation of a strategic plan 2017-2021, energy policy consultations, renegotiation of key contracts and initiatives with Venezuela.
“It was important (Lashley’s) services be retained to ensure seamless continuation of the Ministry’s daily operations and provide expert advice and support to the Minister in on-going stakeholder discussions,” Khan added.
He said Lashley has specialised skills and government couldn’t always pay highly skilled people. The Ministry is now recruiting, however. Khan acknowledged the contract could be extended to as much as five years but said succession planning was in the works. He didn’t forsee extension beyond one year.
But when Opposition Senator Wade Mark asked for commitment that Lashley would only serve a year, Khan said he couldn’t give an “absolute guarantee” but the Ministry would do its best to ensure succession planning is done.
