NASSAU, The Bahamas -- The Minister of Labour and the Public Service the Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle said the Ministry has completed just under one million scans as a part of its digital document management process, so that paper files stacked up to the ceiling will be a thing of the past.

“As we digitalize all current and historical files, we are also digitalizing government HR processes through the introduction of the Oracle Human Resource Management Information System, which public servants are being trained on as we speak,” the Labour Minister said during her Contribution to the 2023-2024 Mid-Year Budget Debate in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

“Both of these initiatives will forever change how business is conducted in the public service.”

She also noted that the Department of Labour, has just added a number of services to the government’s MyGateway Portal to facilitate online access to various essential services like trade union registrations, transfers of trade union licences, document requests, and reports of trade disputes.

The Ministry’s Upcoming Agenda: The Labour Minister explained that for the second half of the Ministry’s term, the Labour and Public Service agenda is just as ambitious as it was in the first half.  She said at the top of the agenda is the rollout of the second-generation Decent Work Country Programme – the first second generation programme in the region.

“We have worked closely with the International Labour Organisation to make progress on this programme, which, at its core, promotes decent work for everyone, in areas like compensation, work environments, and worker’s rights.

“The three pillars of this programme include labour market governance, stakeholder dialogue, and improved job and skills development.”

The Labour Minister noted that more will come out about the programme, especially because the National Apprenticeship Programme, which will be launched before the end of this calendar year, will be a part of the Decent Work Country Programme.

She explained that this will be a monumental undertaking, requiring the cooperation of multiple government ministries and agencies, as well as dozens of private sector partners.

The Labour Minister said the National Apprenticeship Programme will bring to fruition the true essence of public-private partnerships at a national scale.

“In addition to the pilot, we are launching this year in the Maritime sector, target industries which will include Health Services, Construction, Auto-Mechanics, Hospitality and Tourism, and Information Communication Technology.  Other industries will be proposed as the programme matures.”

The Minister said also on the Ministry’s agenda is the Notice of Vacancy Policy Enforcement Unit.

“This initiative requires us to identify opportunities within the Labour Market where expatriates are being hired and Bahamians can be trained as understudies to step in.

She said the Ministry is in the process of creating a framework for how to identify, assess, and fill these opportunities with qualified Bahamian workers.

“While the law may have existed previously, what we’ve noted was that there is no standalone unit with the specific responsibility of ensuring that the law and all related policies are enforced.

“We also noticed that there was no process to establish how we go about this work. We are in the process of building out this process, as we build the unit.”

The Minister added, “Wherever there are opportunities for Bahamians to assimilate into roles across the country, we will ensure that it happens.”  (BIS Photo/Kemuel Stubbs)