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??Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, inspects the ceiling of the National Employment Bureau during her visit to that department. At right is Building Manager, Roger Rudder.
(A. Miller/BGIS)

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, has assured employees of the National Employment Bureau (NEB) that they will soon be returning to their home office.

She gave this assurance after inspecting environmental and industrial work being done in that department which is located on the 2nd Floor of the Old NIS Building on Fairchild Street, the City.

Staff of the NEB had been temporarily relocated to the Labour Department in the Warrens Office Complex two weeks ago.?? This followed concerns raised by workers about the air and water quality affecting the office.

"I want the staff of the NEB to know that we have not just placed them in the Labour Department and have forgotten about them.??I want them to know that I am on top of the situation, and that we will make sure that in as quick a time as possible they can be back in there (the NEB’s office),"?? Dr. Byer Suckoo said.

She also stressed: "I personally wanted to assure myself that work is ongoing on apace and that all the problems identified by staff are being addressed."

During a tour of that the NEB, the Labour Minister, along with officials from her Ministries and some employees of the department, inspected work being done to electrical fixtures and air condition ducts.????

Building manager, Roger Rudder, promised that industrial cleaning would commence shortly, he also noted that staff would be invited to a "walk through" of the building after that was done.?? He anticipated that industrial cleaning would take place over a three to four day period.

Outlining that the Ministry of Labour, particularly the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Department, was intricately involved in the monitoring process, Dr. Byer Suckoo emphasised, "It is important that we set the standard, since government, is the largest single employer in this country.

??"We have an Occupational Safety and Health Act that we are looking to proclaim, we have an Employment Rights Bill that speaks to the rights of employees, which include the right to work in a safe environment and the right to refuse dangerous work.?? So, as an employer we have to set the standard and that is why I am here, and that is how we intend to move forward," the Labour Minister stressed.

Adding that she was extremely grateful and thankful to staff "for bearing with us at this time", Dr. Byer Suckoo lauded their efforts in continuing to move the NEB’s programmes forward, in spite of not being ideally comfortable.

shamkoe.pile@barbados.gov.bb

Author: Shamkoe Pil??

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