The Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward, JP, MP, is currently representing Bermuda at the 13th International Labour Organization (ILO) Meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour and CARICOM's Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), which is taking place in Guyana from April 7 to 8. This meeting serves as a precursor to the 113th International Labour Conference, which will be held in Geneva in June 2025.

The gathering brings together Ministers of Labour and senior officials from thirteen ILO Member States and nine non-metropolitan territories across the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Also in attendance are representatives from the ILO, notably the Director-General, His Excellency Gilbert Houngbo, as well as regional workers’ and employers’ organizations.

Held under the theme “Decent Work and Resilience: Securing the Future of Caribbean Labour”, the meeting is exploring several key issues facing the Caribbean region, including:

• The democratization of the ILO governance;

• Labour migration;

• Just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies;

• Protection against biological hazards in the workplace;

• The platform economy; and

• The formalization of the informal economy.

At yesterday morning’s opening session, the Hon. Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour for Guyana, issued a call to action, urging his colleagues to “sustain momentum as a Caribbean community” by acknowledging labour disparities and actively addressing them through collective, structured action. 

The Director-General of the ILO issued a reminder that although the region has made a lot of progress in securing workers’ rights, “The path forward requires collaboration, trust and a shared commitment to building societies that prioritise fairness, dignity and opportunity for all.”

During yesterday’s second session, Ministers engaged in general dialogue with the Director-General of the ILO, covering topics such as the ratification of the 1986 Instrument of the Amendment of the Constitution of the ILO, the ILO Programme and Budget, US funding, and the upcoming Second World Summit on Social Development. 

Ministers also raised matters such as a greater need for investment in workers' social protections, workforce development to support emerging industries, inclusive economic growth through access to opportunities and ensuring a labour environment that addresses global challenges and ensures the protection of women and the most vulnerable in society. 

Speaking during a session yesterday, Minister Hayward emphasised the importance of regional unity in strengthening labour protections in the Caribbean, stating, “The ratification of certain ILO Conventions creates a dignified standard to progress the world of work. We saw how a concerted effort to not adopt certain ILO Conventions due to the language used in the Convention leaves certain categories of workers vulnerable. As a region, we need to ascertain which ILO Conventions are essential to us and make a commitment that together we will ratify them. Additionally, we must create protocols which successfully close the gaps that exist within the region in an effort to effectively combat the challenges that we face collectively; otherwise, while we attempt to close old gaps, new ones will open.” 

Minister Hayward is accompanied by Gabrielle Cann, Director for the Department of Labour, who also participated in the Meeting of Caribbean Senior Officials of the Ministries of Labour held on Sunday, 6 April 2025.