‘Burns’ Heads Workers’ Research Institute

Joseph ‘Burns’ Bonadie, Veteran Trade Union Activist, has been appointed Coordinator/Director of the Workers’ Institute for Research and Education. {{more}}

Minister of Urban Development, Culture, Labour and Electoral Matters, the Hon. Rene Baptiste made the announcement earlier this week.

According to a release from the Ministry, Bonadie’s main function is to co-ordinate a series of activities leading up to the formalization of the establishment of the Institute, including research, gathering materials, organizing Vincentian Labour law cases, public awareness campaigns, public sensitisation campaigns relating to the CSME and the movement of labour and the purpose, goals and objectives of the institute. This assignment is for three years.

In related Labour matters, Minister Baptiste met with John Pilgrim of the Barbados National Productivity Council and National Workers Movement’s General Secretary, Noel Jackson last Friday.

Their discussions centered on the formation of the SVG National Production Centre. The proposal of a Productivity week for SVG in May 2006 was tabled by them as well as the hosting of a two-day National Productivity Workshop.

The Ministry of Labour expects to have a Coordinator for the National Productivity Centre in place by early next month and to launch the Ministry’s Mission in this regard in May 2006.