Workshop educates judiciary on international labour standards |28 December 2013

Members of the judiciary are now more versed in international labour standards after they attended a workshop on the subject recently.

The workshop, which is part of the implementation of the Seychelles Decent Work Country Programme (2011-2015), was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development with the collaboration of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

It took place at the Constance Ephelia Resort at Port Launay.

Other than judges, prosecutors and lawyers, the seminar was also attended by labour officers, Labour Tribunal members, insurance agents as well as employers’ and employees’ representatives.

Apart from revisiting the ILO and International Labour Standards, the participants had the opportunity to explore other topics such as the application of international labour law, application of ILO Conventions and the Seychelles’ situation in regards to those applications.

The working sessions were launched by the Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander in the presence of Supreme Court Judge D. Karunakaran, the principal secretary for Labour and Human Resource Development Veronique Bresson, and other employment officials.

Also present were those who led the workshop – Christina Holmgren, senior standards specialist from the ILO based in Pretoria, Okech-Owiti, senior law lecturer of the University of Nairobi, and local labour consultant and ILO representative Felix Charles.

This workshop follows two other ILO partnered seminars held only last month. The first refreshed labour officers on ‘Negotiation skills and labour dispute resolution’, while the second validated the National HIV/Aids workplace policy.

Minister Alexander seized the opportunity to thank the ILO for the continued assistance and collaboration towards the Seychelles government’s effort in promoting decent work and addressing the current employment challenges that the country currently faces.

She added that the Seychelles Decent Work Country Programme places considerable emphasis on International Labour Standards and Labour legislation, which are essential for the execution of the programme’s priorities and the mandate of her ministry.

“The ILO structure ensures that International Labour Standards, which are international legal instruments, in particular Conventions, are agreed upon by the tripartite constituents comprising governments, employers, and workers. The aim and also the challenge of these international instruments are to ensure that economic growth and development also create decent jobs,” Minister Alexander said.

On his part, local labour consultant Felix Charles said in a presentation on the application of International Labour Standards in Seychelles that since becoming an ILO member in 1977, Seychelles has ratified 36 ILO Conventions.

He added that provisions are available locally for the application of ILO Standards and these exist in our Constitution, in labour and other relevant legislations and in the Employment Policy.

He however emphasised that the Employment Tribunal and higher Courts should now align practices to ensure effective labour justice through an integrated approach and application of ILO Standards.