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

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Dominica (Ratification: 1983)

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:

Article 1(b). For several years, the Committee noted that under section 49(1) of the Small Charges Act any person being able wholly or in part to maintain himself by work or by other means, and wilfully refusing or neglecting so to do, shall be deemed an idle and disorderly person and may be imprisoned for a term of up to one month. The Committee noted the Government's indication in its report received in 1988 that there had been no amendment to or repeal of section 49(1). Since the Government has reported for many years that this provision of the Act has never been applied, the Committee again expresses the hope that the necessary steps will be taken to amend or repeal the provision so as to bring national law on this matter into conformity with practice and the requirements of Convention No. 105 as well as Convention No. 29, also ratified by Dominica. Pending such amendment or repeal, the Committee again requests the Government to continue to supply information on the practical application of section 49(1) of the Small Charges Act.