Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Barbados (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:

In previous comments, the Committee noted that under section 30(2)(a) of the Defence Act, the Defence Board may refuse an application for discharge or transfer to the Reserve of a person enlisted in the regular force; under regulation 7 of the Defence (Officers) Regulations, 1979, the Defence Board may permit an officer at his request to resign his commission; and persons in the Barbados Defence Force who have received training but have not completed the full training period are required to repay a proportional part of the cost of their training if they seek to be discharged.

The Committee asked that the Government continue to supply information on the practice followed in accepting or refusing (1) the purchase of discharge or (2) the transfer to the Reserve of persons in the regular force in virtue of section 30(2)(a) of the Defence Act and (3) the resignation of officers at their request under the Defence (Officers) Regulations, 1979. The Committee had noted the information provided by the Government that, during the period August 1987 to July 1989, 18 requests for discharge by purchase were made; none have been refused or deferred, 12 have been allowed to go and six are awaiting approval. With respect to the six applicants for discharge referred to by the Committee in its previous comment, the Committee noted the Government's statement that all have been discharged except one soldier who withdrew his application for discharge.

The Committee asks that the Government continue to provide information and statistical data with respect to the practical application of the three above-mentioned procedures.