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In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government indicates that the draft social security reform, prepared in accordance with article 48 of the new Constitution, is to be submitted to Congress at its present session. With regard to the agriculture and livestock sector, the Government states that it undertook on Farmers' Day, 19 July 1992, to extend the coverage of the social security scheme to the whole of the national territory.

The Committee notes this information. It also notes from the statistics supplied by the Government that the number of occupational accidents reported in the agriculture and livestock sector was still relatively high in 1990. In these circumstances, and in view of the fact that 60 to 96 per cent of workers in this sector are still not covered by social security, the Committee again expresses the hope that, as part of the social security reform, the Government will be able to take the necessary measures to extend progressively to the whole of the national territory the occupational accident branch of the social security scheme, so as to cover all agricultural workers covered by the Convention. Pending the achievement of this objective, the Committee can but insist once again that the Government take the necessary measures to amend the Labour Code, which sets out lower levels of compensation than those prescribed in the compulsory social security scheme, as regards the duration of both medical assistance and cash benefits.

The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain information on the progress made in this respect. It also asks the Government to continue to provide information, including statistics, on the extension of the social security scheme to the rural sector in respect of workmen's compensation.