Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes along with a team from the Labour department on Tuesday visited several Regent Street, Georgetown businesses as complaints of labour violations across the country continue to mount.

The impromptu visit and inspection by the Minister and her team unearthed several violations of the country’s labour regulations, from payment to physical working conditions.

However, the visit ended with Broomes promising scores workers better conditions and penalization for delinquent employers.

In a brief interview with News Source, the Minister said the culture of non-compliance with labour regulations is something that has to be changed.

She said the complains at the department are becoming most alarming with over 600 complains over the last four months, including cases where industrial accidents, some of which have claimed lives, are not being reported.

“We are finding that there is no compliance, persons on Regent Street just have workers and you pay them weekly and put a lil money in their hands, there is no pay-slip, there is no record, their NIS while it is being deducted it is not being paid and so I have decided to come out today to have a first hand look at what is happening in the stores,” she added.

According to Minister Broomes, her role in the street is to ensure that the Guyanese people receive the service they deserve.

“It’s not only Regent Street, we have officers going countrywide carrying out inspections but I want to visit as many areas as possible.”

During the visit to several stores, Broomes and her team were able to settle several complaints on the spot.

Overall, the Minister said she feels that the working conditions are “very poor”, especially when it is viewed in the context of the many Human Rights and Labour Conventions that Guyana has signed onto.

“Most of the environment and I say most of the area that people work within are below the standards and it has to be changed… I’m here to give employees opportunities to bring their concerns to us so we can help because it is the employee that is suffering most,” she added.

Minister Broomes said that while a lot of employers are being taken before the Courts, the manner in which the Court treat with the matters are “sad.” She said the government will be looking to change the regulations to impose bigger fines for violators.

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