Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Suriname (Ratification: 1976)

Referring to its observation and drawing the Government’s attention to its 2007 and 2009 general observations under this Convention, the Committee reiterates its previous comments and once again requests the Government to provide the Office with relevant information on the following points.

Articles 10, 16 and 21(c) and (d) of the Convention. Staff of the labour inspectorate and inspection visits. While noting the information on the material and institutional difficulties of keeping a register of workplaces (registers not up to date and variations in the duration of enterprises), the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the need to have data on the number of workplaces liable to inspection and the number and categories of workers employed in them, in order to be able to assess the extent of the inspectorate’s coverage in the light of needs and the number and geographical distribution of serving inspectors. In order to improve the efficiency of the inspection services and determine priorities on the basis of available resources, the competent authorities and the need for inspectors to have a thorough knowledge of the economic fields that they cover. The Government is therefore asked to take the necessary measures to rationalize the existing registration system and to keep the Office informed of all progress in this respect.

Article 18. Penalties for violations of the legal provisions enforceable by labour inspectors. The Committee notes that discussions are under way between the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Justice and Police to overcome what the labour inspectors consider to be a difficulty in applying the Convention: the legal limitation on their collection of fines. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the results of these discussions in terms of impact in law and practice regarding the punishment of violations in accordance with the Convention.

Articles 20 and 21. Publication and communication of annual reports. The Committee refers to its previous comments and notes that, according to the Government, the difficulties encountered in preparing annual inspection reports have not as yet been overcome. However, it notes that the computerization of the labour inspectorate is now in its final stages, which will facilitate the discharge of the annual reporting obligations. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any developments in this respect and to ensure that an annual report on the work of the labour inspection services is published shortly and that a copy is sent to the Office. It draws the Government’s attention to the guidance in Part IV of the Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81), as to how the information required by Article 21(a)–(g) could be presented in such a report.

Labour inspection and child labour. The Committee notes that the labour inspectorate will be represented on the Commission against Child Labour, which, according to the Government, is in the process of being established. It would be grateful if the Government would keep the Office informed of any legislative or practical measures implemented to the inspection of child labour in the industrial and commercial establishments covered by the Convention.