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Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Youth employment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the gross domestic product decreased by 11.4 per cent between 2017 and 2018, following the aftermath of hurricane Irma, which devastated the island. The Government reports that many of the key economic sectors of the island were affected, such as tourism, the wholesale and retail sector, and the utility and transport sectors. The Government reports that, according to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) of the Department of Statistics, there was an overall increase in participation and unemployment rates between 2017 and 2018, with a notable decrease in the number of employed and economically inactive persons. The Government indicates that this downturn suggests that more people were seeking employment, but were unsuccessful due to the economic crisis post-hurricane Irma. It adds that the participation rate increased from 55.1 per cent to 57 per cent and the unemployment rate increased from 6.2 per cent to 9.9 per cent during this period. With regard to youth employment trends, the Government reports that, during the same period, the number of persons employed (15 to 24 years of age) increased from 1,563 (791 men and 772 women) to 1,944 (1,090 men and 854 women), while the number of those unemployed decreased from 489 (188 men and 301 women) to 423 (246 men and 177 women). The youth labour force increased from 2,052 persons (979 men and 1,073 women) to 2,367 persons (1,336 men and 1,031 women). The Government also indicates that a School-to-work-transition survey was carried out on an annual basis for a period of five years, with the objective of designing policies to promote youth employment based on identified trends. It adds that the LFS is carried out annually to inform the development of labour market policies. The Committee nevertheless notes that the Government does not provide information on the nature or the impact of the programmes implemented to tackle youth unemployment and improve the situation of young persons in the labour market. Nor does the Government provide information on consultations held with the social partners in relation to the development and implementation of a youth employment policy. Finally, the Committee notes from the Government’s website that, on 8 November 2022, Sint Maarten’s National Development Vision (NDV) 2020–30 was launched. The Committee notes that the NDV was developed through an all-inclusive participatory approach, which included all ministries, the private sector, civil society organizations and the public. The stated objective of the NDV is to transform Sint Maarten into a compassionate, strong and decisive country that will be economically resilient, capable of sustaining its own development and providing an enhanced quality of life and well-being for generations to come. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex and age, on the nature and scope of the specific programmes and measures taken or envisaged to ensure the implementation of an active employment policy, including those undertaken in the framework of the Sint Maarten National Development Vision (NDV) 2020–30. It also requests the Government to provide updated information, disaggregated by age and sex, on the labour market trends, particularly regarding the active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment rates. In addition, the Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex and age, on the nature, scope and impact of the programmes implemented to promote youth employment as well as on the consultations held with the social partners in this regard.

Article 3. Consultations with the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that tripartite consultations are held within the Labour Tripartite Committee (TPC) on economic and labour matters. The Government reports that, in 2016, the TCP developed a consensus document on a range of labour topics, such as youth unemployment, the use of short-term contracts, labour dismissals, the introduction of an unemployment benefit system, and flexibility and security in the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to provide concrete examples of the manner in which the views of the social partners are taken into account in the development, implementation, monitoring and review of employment policies and programmes. It also requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on all activities and consultations held within the Labour Tripartite Committee on the matters covered by the Convention.