The ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean is continuing to follow-up on the outcomes of the ILO Tripartite Caribbean Conference that was held in April 2009 in Kingston, Jamaica. The Conference, held under the theme “Promoting Human Prosperity beyond the Global Financial Crisis: Seeking Sustainable Solutions through Social Dialogue” deliberated on the social and labour implications of the global financial crisis on the Caribbean countries and territories.

The “Kingston Action Plan” that was adopted by the tripartite constituents on 2 April 2009, had envisaged, along with other pledges, the collection and compilation  of relevant information  from across the region, identifying good practices with respect to responses to the crisis.

 

A Crisis Observatory to track country responses to the crisis was subsequently established. A questionnaire was sent to tripartite constituents to elicit information on responses to the crisis and post-crisis recovery initiatives in their respective countries and territories. The information gathered through the survey has been collated in the form of country fact sheets. They provide a snapshot of initiatives, in line with the Decent Work Agenda, as  recommended in the ILO's Global Jobs Pact, adopted at the 98th session of the International Labour Conference of the ILO in June 2009 and the Kingston Action Plan. Within the Caribbean there are examples of measures being taken to retain persons in employment,  to promote retraining and job creation, to sustain enterprises and to enhance  social protection systems.  Social dialogue generally underpins these initiatives.

 

The ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean wishes to thank the respondents for their cooperation and also encourages others - who have not submitted information so far - to do so.