Minister Roy Boddenopens the first meeting of the Employment Services Forum.
Opening the first meeting of the Employment Services Forum, HumanResources Minister Hon. Roy Bodden called labour 'the piston'that drives the engine of economic growth.
The advisory body, consisting of 11 employer, employee and governmentrepresentatives met Tuesday, 9 October.
Minister Bodden told the audience that the meeting representedan important step in promoting social dialogue towards the developmentof a new labour policy.
Stressing his belief that government should take the lead in establishinga mutual exchange of ideas, he added: "We are proposing anew role for Labour-the piston in the engine of economic growth.It must play a central role in the social and economic developmentof the country. We are aware of the need to raise labour productivity,reduce costs, increase output and generate more secure employmentopportunities for Caymanian workers. We believe that social dialoguewith you is the only way to overcome these challenges that arefacing our country today."
Forum members have agreed to further these goals by advising andupdating the ministry on developments in employment relationsin the workplace.
A ministry spokesman says the group's key objectives will be tooffer guidance on the development of good-practice standards,provide feedback on employer and employee issues in the workplace,and analyse manpower trends and occurrences in the demand andsupply of local labour.
The forum is expected to play an important role in the Ministry'songoing review and modernisation of employment relations legislationand services. It is also part of the Ministry's response to recentrecommendations by the International Labour Organisation's TaskForce on the Caribbean.
Public and private sector associations whose members will siton the new body include the National Alliance of Caymanian Employees,the Caymanian Bar Association, the Cayman Islands Tourism Association,the Cayman Medical and Dental Society, the Society of Human ResourceProfessionals, the Cayman Merchants Association, the Public ServiceCommission, the Cayman Islands Bankers Association, the CaymanArchitects Surveyors and Engineers and the Chamber of Commerce.
Tuesday's meeting was also attended by Permanent Secretary (HumanResources) Joy Basdeo, Assistant Secretary Amy Wolliston and otherministry staff.