Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton has called on the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to make greater use of the ministry’s apprenticeship programme and job bank.
The Minister was speaking to members of the GCCI, at an event focused on strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector to promote legal compliance, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth.
A release on Wednesday from the ministry said that he underscored its free training programmes, including those offered by the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), which has trained over 13,000 people—60 per cent of them women—in the past five years.
He called on the GCCI and its members to make greater use of apprenticeship programmes, the CRMA’s job bank, and to help shape training content to reflect growing needs such as fiber optic maintenance and solar PV technology.
“We have a vibrant apprenticeship program-me. It allows businesses to shape model employees from day one—those who understand the company, culture, and expectations. I am not satisfied with the private sector’s current use of this programme. It is an untapped opportunity for growth.”
The Minister also raised matters related to occupational safety and health (OSH), emphasizing that mental health now falls within the legal OSH framework.
“We’ve had to intervene in cases where employers acted as torturers. Mental health is now a core part of OSH. We’re working with the Ministry of Health to address it across the workforce.”
He called for tripartite collaboration among government, business, and labour—stating that unions, while currently facing internal challenges, are still essential for true workforce representation.
“We can’t build a strong labour market without representation. Even if unions aren’t present, companies must create internal channels for dialogue—employee representation groups, regular meetings—not just when there’s a crisis”, he said.
Hamilton also highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to improve legal awareness among employers, strengthen training and recruitment systems, and bridge critical skill gaps in the labour force.
“Over the years, I’ve heard companies say they acted on the advice of lawyers or HR (Human Resource) consultants—even when those actions were against the law. Let me be clear: the authority to speak on labour law, hiring practices, and workplace standards lies with the Ministry of Labour,” Hamilton said.
“Our Chief Labour Officer is a lawyer. All the legal advice you need—on hiring, safety, termination, and more—is available to you for free. Companies must stop paying for bad advice and instead engage directly with the Ministry”, he admonished.
He stressed the urgency of investing in technical education and hands-on training, calling for a cultural shift away from the over-reliance on academic qualifications.
“Qualification does not equal employability. We’ve seen graduates with ten or more CXCs who can’t write a professional email or sign a job application. Businesses must stop assuming certificates mean competence. Real employability comes from ethics, responsibility, and job readiness”, he said.
The event was focused on strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector to promote legal compliance, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth.
The session, held at the GCCI headquarters, featured presentations by Hamilton and Kathy Smith, President of GCCI.
Smith, the release said, welcomed the Ministry’s engagement and emphasised the importance of direct collaboration with public agencies for the benefit of the business community.
“Our dominant membership is around 70 per cent of small and medium enterprises, and many micro-companies are now coming in. But what they are not familiar with is the structure required for every business, particularly for labour and regulatory bodies like GRD. We want to ensure our members are not in violation of the law and are fully aware of their obligations. That’s why your presence here today is so meaningful”, she said.
Also present at the event were Dhaneshwar Deonarine, Chief Labour Officer; Richard Maughn, Chief Execu-tive Officer of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT); Yolanda Grant, Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer; Gweneth King,Consultant of the Occupa-tional Safety and Health Department; and Janaknauth Panchu, Chief Cooperative Development Officer.
