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Apr 25, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
One of the major aims set for the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nation Agency in Guyana, at its foundation in 1919 was the abolition of Child Labour. The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946. Historically, the ILO’s principal tool in pursuing the goal of effective abolition of child labour has been the adoption and supervision of labour standards that embody the concept of a minimum age for admission to employment or work. The United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002 endorsed a mainstreaming approach – placing child labour on the development agenda.
This implied that a new ambition had to be set for the worldwide movement against child labour. In political terms this means putting child labour on the agenda of finance and planning ministries – after all, the worldwide movement has to convince governments to act to end child labour. Child labour elimination comes down to a set of “political choices” rather than a technocratic exercise. And everyday realities of instability and crisis challenge attempts at making progress.
According to UNICEF as of June, 2016, an estimated 150 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour. They do not go to school and have little or no time to play. Many do not receive proper nutrition or care. They are denied the chance to be children. More than half of them are exposed to the worst forms of child labour such as work in hazardous environments, slavery, or other forms of forced labour, illicit activities including drug trafficking and prostitution, as well as involvement in armed conflict.
This persistence of child labour is rooted in poverty and lack of decent work for adults, lack of social protection, and a failure to ensure that all children are attending school through to the legal minimum age for admission to employment. International labour standards define child labour by its consequences: it encompasses work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children, and interferes with their schooling.
With the information provided above, let us now zoom into our country. It’s no secret that child labour is present in our society, even under the watch of the PPP/C. Records will show that many attempts were made to reduce child labour from the time PPP/C took office in 1992, but it still remains a troubling issue, especially since the APNU/AFC took office in May, 2015.
In an article carried by another media house, it stated; “the Government of Guyana (APNU/AFC) announced that a unit to focus specifically on the issue of child labour would be established by the Social Protection Ministry. This announcement came mere days after a survey revealed that there were an alarmingly high number of Guyanese children involved in the worst forms of child labour.” One year later, on September 18, 2016 an article carried by another newspaper stated that “18% percent of Guyana’s children between the ages of 5 and 17 are engaged in child labour, according to statistics provided in a recently conducted survey done by Guyana in collaboration with the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF).”
The article also stated “Since taking office, the APNU+AFC government has not implemented a concrete policy to tackle the scourge, even though former Social Protection Minister Simona Broomes had announced some plans, which included the setting up of a unit to specifically deal with child labour.” Guyanese have witnessed from May, 2015 to present, the reckless actions from the APNU/AFC Government. Let me list a few:
1. 1972 young Guyanese of Amerindian descent were fired by the APNU + AFC government. Apart from the devastating impact that this discriminatory action will have on these individuals and their families, it removes from the Amerindian village economy at least 270 million dollars per annum Guyana, .
2. Hundreds of public servants were sent home from cleaners and drivers to administrators.
3. 1700 sugarcane workers plus 2500 private Cane Farmers at Wales Estate are jobless (total 4200)
4. Hundreds of Rice Farmers who are about to down tools, because of significant increases in taxes from all corners
5. The President’s announcement to close Enmore Sugar Estate (2300 workers), Rose Hall (2700 workers) and Skeldon (2600 workers), total of 7600 workers will be jobless (News Room, 18th April, 2017).
6. The President’s announcement that the Government cannot provide jobs for the few thousands who leave education institutions every year (from May, 2015 to present)
The above listed will see over 20,000 persons being affected by a Government who promised ALL Guyanese, including those listed above (Sugar Workers, Rice Farmers, Amerindians and Youths) a “Good Life” including jobs for ALL Youths.
Suresh Singh
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