PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Honorable Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Mr. Omar Ottley, met with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Director of the Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, Mr. Dennis Zulu, during a recent courtesy visit to Sint Maarten.
This visit was a great opportunity to further deepen cooperation with the ILO in bringing further emphasis on the Decent Work Agenda.
Labor related matters such as; labor market information system (LMIS), replacing the Cessantia fund with the introduction of an unemployment benefit system, wages and productivity, short term labor agreement amendments, training and employment creation, promotion and improvement of the labor dispute settlement system and more were discussed in which technical assistance from the ILO will be requested to further enhance policy development and or legislation as it relates to the labor market of Sint Maarten. This is with the aim of building a more secure and resilient labor market on Sint Maarten in the best interest of both workers and employers alike.
“It was a privilege to meet with Mr. Zulu and given the opportunity to discuss such important labor related matters. The discussion was brief but highlighted a few short term changes that can be made to benefit the population. While the majority of the changes will require legislative amendments and will have a longer trajectory, we are committed to finding a solution that complies with local and international labor laws”. Said Ottley
