Labour Ministry opens new office in Hanover
MINISTER of Labour and Social Security Shahine Robinson says that a number of parish offices across the island will be upgraded and renovated in short order.
“Having gone around the island and looked at them, I realised that most of them have outgrown their useful capacity, and also, we have a large number of disabled persons who must access the services,” she said.
She noted that tenders are out for the refurbishing of the St James parish office and another on Ripon Road in Kingston.
Work is already under way at the St Ann parish office.
“It will be a beautiful new complex. It should be completed in June and we hope to move in by the end of this year,” she added.
Robinson was speaking at the official opening of the new state-of-the-art Hanover parish office on Thursday.
The 4,000-square foot facility, located at Bustamante Square in Lucea, was purchased at a cost of $92 million, with an additional $20 million spent to complete refurbishing works.
It houses the various social departments that fall under the ministry, to include the National Insurance Scheme, Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education, the Labour Division, National Council for Senior Citizens, among others.
Robinson said the facility will better serve the needs of the residents of Hanover.
“This new office is the first in a series that will provide the ministry with a better chance of pursuing its mandate of providing effective social protection for the needy, promoting social inclusion for all, providing sustainable industrial relations standards, promoting productivity growth, ensuring safety and health for all workers, and maintaining an effective and efficient labour market,” she noted.
The vision of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is to contribute to national development through the provision of efficient and effective labour and social security services, within the context of a globalised economy.
It is mandated to promote a stable industrial climate through tripartite dialogue; ensure the highest standards of occupational safety and health at the workplace; facilitate increased access to employment; and effectively manage social protection programmes for groups with special needs — including persons below the poverty line, the elderly and the disabled.
Source: Jamaica Observer