Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Bahamas (Ratification: 1976)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Migrant workers. Education and training. The Committee notes that the Government indicates in its report that the National Training Agency (NTA) organized several initiatives aiming to provide on-the-job training to young people in order to equip them with marketable employment skills. It adds that the NTA’s initiatives and ongoing work are designed to enhance educational employment and socio-economic opportunities, facilitate the progressive development of education, vocational training and apprenticeship with a view to the preparation of children and young persons of both sexes for useful occupation and, ultimately, improve standards of living. Moreover, the Committee also notes the documentation provided on the migrant population and its employment situation. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on labour migration and the education and training strategy. Please also indicate the manner in which the provisions of the Convention calling for “all policies” to be “primarily directed to the well-being and development of the population” have been regarded as the principal objective in the planning of economic development.

Articles 4(e) and 5. Promotion of cooperatives. Conditions to improve living standards. The Government indicates that efforts to enhance the oversight, efficiency and stability of financial cooperative credit unions are ongoing. Stakeholders are currently assisting with the process of finalizing draft legislation to the effect of assigning supervisory and regulatory responsibility for these institutions to the Central Bank of The Bahamas. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the manner in which a policy and legal framework favourable to cooperatives is being developed in the country. It also requests the Government to report on the improvement of standards of living for workers in the informal economy.