Following intervention by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guyana’s National Plan of Action of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) will be modernised soon.
A press release issued today disclosed that beginning Wednesday the ILO will assist Guyana with updating a number of key issues tied to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) sector.
At the top the list is overhauling the country’s National Plan of Action which was last revised in 1996.
Tomorrow, the ILO and the Social Protection Ministry will begin a National Consultation on the global agency’s menu of support for Guyana. The discourse begins at 8:30 hrs at the Herdmanston Lodge, Anira and Peter Rose Streets, Georgetown.
In addition to helping bring Guyana’s OSH Plan of Action in accordance with contemporary times, the ILO is also scheduled to assist with the development of the country’s national profile on OSH.
Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Mr Keith Scott will give the keynote address.
Other speakers include, Ms Lorene Baird, Permanent Secretary of the MOSP; General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Mr Lincoln Lewis; Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) General Secretary, Mr Kenneth Joseph; Mr Samuel Goolsarran, Consultant/Advisor of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries (CAGI) and Ms Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, Decent Work Team and Office for the ILO’s Caribbean office.
According to an official event document, by the end of tomorrow’s OSH programme, ILO and the government should agree on a new national programme which is expected to highlight Guyana’s priorities, objectives and targets for “improving occupational safety and health within a pre-determined timeframe and indicators to assess progress”.
The OSH modernisation plan is also expected to provide data on occupational accidents and diseases, high-risk industries and occupations, and a description of the national OSH system and its current capacity.
The overhauled policy will also include Guyana’s commitment to preventing occupational accidents and diseases; the overarching principles undergirding its action on OSH and the functions and responsibilities of the principal stakeholders.
