Dr Cort – No Stop Order in Labour Code

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Monday, 20 August 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John’s - Minister of National Security & Labour Dr. Errol Cort has sought to clarify allegations recently raised in the local media of the “circumvention of procedures” by a member of his Secretariat in the granting of a work permit.

A press release said that the minister “wishes to assure the public that all policies and procedures were followed in the case of the granting of a work permit to a Mrs. Michel Glass-Landam, and that he is unaware of any purported “stop order” being placed on the said work permit”.
 

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Dr Cort found it necessary to go on record after the Observer Media reported on August 15 that Industrial Relations Practitioner Anderson Carty alleges that the company, Pirates of Antigua Limited, requested authorisation for Glass-Lamdan to work at the company but not as general manager.

“However Lamdan is designated as general manager on a document bearing her name and the letterhead of Pirates of Antigua,” the article said.

“Deputy Labour Commissioner Jacinta Daley confirmed she had placed a hold order on the work permit and that it was issued, but she said she couldn’t be certain the permit was still uncollected when she issued the order.”

But Dr Corts statement said that in the granting of work permits, the Office of the Minister of Labour acts in accordance with the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Code, Division F, specifically Sections F6 (1) and (2).

These provisions were followed in the case of the work permit that was issued to Mrs. Glass-Landam.

The provisions state as follows: F6 (1) “The Chief of the Employment Service shall conduct an investigation of the conditions surrounding any application for a work permit, and he shall make a report and recommendation to the Minister,…”

F6 (2) “Thereupon, the Minister shall decide whether or not and under what conditions, the permit should be granted.”

There is no provision made in the Labour Code for anyone to issue a “stop order” in respect of the granting of work permits. The Minister of Labour is given the statutory authority to approve a work permit on the recommendation of the Chief of the Employment Service, the communiqué clarified.

“In the case of Mrs. Glass-Landam, her work permit went through the normal vetting process and was then recommended by the Chief of the Employment Service, in this case the Deputy Labour Commissioner, Ms. Jacinta Daley, for approval. The Minister of Labour acted on the recommendation of the Deputy Labour Commissioner and approved the said work permit.
 

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“It is regrettable that certain allegations have been made regarding the work permit issued to Mrs. Glass-Landam, given that all established procedures were duly followed,” the statement concluded.
 

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