Tweet
Spencer calls for work permit audit
published: Friday | June 17, 2005
Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on Labour Rudyard Spencer is calling for an immediate audit into the number of work permits granted to foreign nationals by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Mr. Spencer made the call during his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House on Tuesday.
"In Kingston, I see buses park up at apartments and sometimes 50 persons are loaded in one bus, and in every instance, they are doing work that Jamaicans can do," he said.
"Minister, I am asking for an audit! Minister, I want an audit; I want you to tell this House and tell Jamaica what these work permits were issued for and what category of employees they were issued to," he said.
Mr. Spencer said that while the ministry has earned some $160 million since the reintroduction of the fees for work permits, the Government cannot use this as a means of generating income.
"You have to be very careful that we don't use the work permit as a revenue thing and that Jamaican workers are sacrificed," he said.
He noted that while the Minister of Labour and Social Security Horace Dalley, last year had ordered an investigation into the issuing of work permits and had admitted that the issuing of work permits was being abused, he is still yet to see anything done.
"What has happened since? Instead of coming to the House and telling us what were the abuses and what he has done to prevent them, all the minister has told this House is that he has made $160 million from work permits," he said.
Mr. Spencer recommended that the 16 recommendations put forward by the Labour Advisory Committee (LAC) in 2003 be adopted.
AMEND FINES
He suggested that the fines under the Employment Act be amended to be consistent with similar fines that are set out in the Caribbean Community Act.
"The minister is yet to tell the country whether he has accepted or rejected these suggestions. All we are told is that recommendation number four is implemented, of 16!" he said.
"The minister glibly stated that adequate steps are in place to protect local skills. What are these steps? It appears that only the minister is aware of them because no one from his ministry can outline them to anybody," he said.
During his sectoral presentation, last month, Minister Dalley spoke of breaches committed by multinational firms which, he said, were not training any Jamaicans to fill these highly skilled positions.
Spencer calls for work permit audit
published: Friday | June 17, 2005
Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on Labour Rudyard Spencer is calling for an immediate audit into the number of work permits granted to foreign nationals by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Mr. Spencer made the call during his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House on Tuesday.
"In Kingston, I see buses park up at apartments and sometimes 50 persons are loaded in one bus, and in every instance, they are doing work that Jamaicans can do," he said.
"Minister, I am asking for an audit! Minister, I want an audit; I want you to tell this House and tell Jamaica what these work permits were issued for and what category of employees they were issued to," he said.
Mr. Spencer said that while the ministry has earned some $160 million since the reintroduction of the fees for work permits, the Government cannot use this as a means of generating income.
"You have to be very careful that we don't use the work permit as a revenue thing and that Jamaican workers are sacrificed," he said.
He noted that while the Minister of Labour and Social Security Horace Dalley, last year had ordered an investigation into the issuing of work permits and had admitted that the issuing of work permits was being abused, he is still yet to see anything done.
"What has happened since? Instead of coming to the House and telling us what were the abuses and what he has done to prevent them, all the minister has told this House is that he has made $160 million from work permits," he said.
Mr. Spencer recommended that the 16 recommendations put forward by the Labour Advisory Committee (LAC) in 2003 be adopted.
AMEND FINES
He suggested that the fines under the Employment Act be amended to be consistent with similar fines that are set out in the Caribbean Community Act.
"The minister is yet to tell the country whether he has accepted or rejected these suggestions. All we are told is that recommendation number four is implemented, of 16!" he said.
"The minister glibly stated that adequate steps are in place to protect local skills. What are these steps? It appears that only the minister is aware of them because no one from his ministry can outline them to anybody," he said.
During his sectoral presentation, last month, Minister Dalley spoke of breaches committed by multinational firms which, he said, were not training any Jamaicans to fill these highly skilled positions.
Spencer calls for work permit audit