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Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97) - Barbados (RATIFICATION: 1967)

Other comments on C097

Observation

Direct Request

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The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report, due since 2017, has not been received. In light of its urgent appeal launched to the Government in 2020, the Committee proceeds with the examination of the application of the Convention based on the information at its disposal.

Article 2 of the Convention. Free services and accurate information to migrant workers. In its previous comment, the Committee asked the Government to indicate: (1) the type of assistance and information free of charge provided by the National Employment Bureau (NEB) to migrant workers from Barbados; (2) the type of services provided by the liaison officers in Canada and the United States to migrants under the “Farm Labour Programme” and the “Hotel Programme” and; (3) whether the liaison officers can receive or address complaints from workers under these programmes and, if so, provide information on the follow-up given to such complaints. The Committee notes that, according to the Government Information Service (GIS) website, the NEB is now called the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service (BECCS). It seeks to find decent employment for all Barbadians through the provision of job placement services for both local and overseas employment; it provides information related to job opportunities abroad, internships, COVID-19 protocols, etc. Under the section “overseas employment programmes”, the Committee notes the existence of various programmes, such as for example, the Low Skilled Worker Programme in collaboration with Canada, the H2B Hotel Programme in collaboration with the United States and the United Kingdom Farm Labour Programme. Nonetheless, there is no information on the concrete services provided by the Barbadian authorities or the liaison officers in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom. Under these circumstances, the Committee asks again the Government:

(i) to provide detailed information on the type of services provided by the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service to migrant workers within the framework of the Low Skilled Worker Programme, the H2B Hotel Programme and the United Kingdom Farm Labour Programme; and
(ii) to indicate whether the liaison officers can receive or address complaints from workers under the programmes and, if so, to provide information on the follow-up given to such complaints.

Statistics. The Committee wishes to point out that appropriate data and statistics are crucial in determining the nature of labour migration and inequalities of treatment faced by migrant workers, to set priorities and design measures, and to evaluate their impact and make adaptations where necessary. In this regard, the Committee notes that on 21-22 July 2021, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its Associated Institutions held its eleventh General Meeting with the United Nations. During this meeting, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) stressed that there was a general scarcity of data and socio-economic and environment indicators in the region, as well as an infrequent and insufficient production and dissemination of official statistics and indicators. However, ECLAC indicated that statistical capacity had received positive attention within CARICOM, and assistance was provided by United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. Acknowledging the importance of data collection, the Committee calls upon the Government to collect and analyse relevant data on labour migration flows, disaggregated by sex, and on migration patterns in the country or region (taking into account factors such as origin, age, status, sector of employment and occupation, etc.).