Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Suriname (Ratification: 1976)

1. The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in reply to its previous direct request. It notes with interest that article 27(1) of the 1987 Constitution prescribes that it is the duty of the State to guarantee the right to work by following a planned policy aimed at full employment, guaranteeing equal opportunity in the choice of profession and promoting the acquisition by workers of occupational qualifications. The Government indicates in its report that, in accordance with article 40 of the Constitution, a development plan is being prepared. The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will provide detailed information on the defined employment objectives and on the employment policy measures taken or contemplated. Please provide, if appropriate, a copy of, or relevant extracts from, the development plan.

2. While noting the above provisions of the Constitution and recognising that they are in conformity with Article 1 of the Convention, the Committee remains concerned at the labour market situation which, according to the data enclosed with the Government's report, is marked by high levels of unemployment and underemployment, particularly among young people. In this connection, the Committee noted in its previous direct request that a large proportion of the registered unemployed were young people who had recently completed their education. The memorandum of the ILO Regional Adviser on Manpower Planning and Employment, forwarded by the Government, contains an appendix with information showing that the unemployment rate of the 15 to 24 age group might be about 65 per cent according to the results of a survey carried out among school-leavers in 1987. The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain information on measures aimed at satisfying the needs of young people (see also point 3 below) and other specific categories of workers such as the elderly, the disabled and women who, according to the above-mentioned sources, may constitute approximately 80 per cent of unemployed jobseekers.

3. Please indicate the measures taken or contemplated as a result of the suggestions made by the ILO Regional Adviser on Co-operatives, to promote co-operatives as a source of productive employment, particularly for school-leavers.

4. Please indicate also the measures taken or contemplated as a result of the suggestions made by the ILO Regional Adviser on Manpower Planning and Employment, particularly those designed to ensure co-ordination of education and training policies with employment prospects, macro-economic policies and sectoral policies.

5. Article 3. In reply to the Committee's last direct request, the Government indicates in its report that the social partners will participate in the Council of State as provided for in the 1987 Constitution (articles 113 to 115). The Committee requests the Government to provide additional information in its next report on the manner in which the representatives of employers' and workers' organisations are consulted (including representatives from other sectors of the active population, for example, persons employed in the informal sector) with a view to securing their co-operation in formulating and implementing employment policies.