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The Constitutional Reform Commissioners have been given a significant task to come up with recommendations to improve and or expand our constitutional provisions which will align with the country’s new republican status.There is also the perception that the Commission will somehow complete the cycle of true independence from Britain, by crafting an overarching document that reflects how our country ought to be governed in these modern, global circumstances.So far, the commissioners who come from varied backgrounds, but are respected in their various fields of endeavour, have managed to generate some buzz among many Barbadians on a rather dry subject. This at a time, when most are distracted by events like the cost of living and daily survival.
Chairman of the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) Mr Justice Christopher Blackman carries a significant load on his shoulders as the lead arbiter of disputes involving the cases of unfair dismissal of workers in this country.Justice Blackman, who enjoyed an impressive career as a jurist on the local Appeals Court bench before his retirement, has been an important advocate, not only for workers who have sought justice from this quasi-judicial body, but he has also pushed for the strengthening of the institution itself.The ERT chairman has been consistent in his rulings, which have often gone against wayward employers. There have also been cases in which employees were told there was no merit to their claims.He has advised repeatedly that employers should simply follow the law and give workers due process before seeking to be punitive in the handling of infractions and other disputes.In a November 2019 address to the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC) Justice Blackman lamented that
Chairman of the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) retired Justice Christopher Blackman has called on Government to give the body more power to deal with employers who refuse to comply with its rulings, even as a trade union official lamented that the ERT has fallen short of its mandate.Speaking at an Access to Labour Justice: Evaluation and Strengthening of the Employment Rights Tribunal workshop on Tuesday, Barbados Workers’ Union Legal Officer Kamisha Benjamin said although the aim of the tribunal was welcomed, as workers needed to be protected against unfair employment practices, the ERT’s supporting framework needed an overhaul.“The Barbados Workers’ Union firmly believes in the maxim that justice delayed is, in fact, justice denied…. A lot of workers in this island are denied justice because of systemic delays. When the Employment Rights Act was first conceptualised, the Barbados Workers’ Union as a stakeholder raised concerns in an effort to ensure that there will be l
Very few Barbadians can attest to knowing any substantial part of what is contained in our Constitution. It is a regrettable state of affairs, but it is a fact.In our primary schools, it is hardly ever referenced. We are apparently so busy preparing for English Language, Mathematics and the Composition Paper, that primary school is largely consumed with “getting into a good school” after writing the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination.At secondary school, the Barbados Constitution does not form the body of any intellectual debate or core subject. At the tertiary level, students who are pursuing legal studies will probably be exposed to its contents.For the rest of the population, people assume that certain “rights” must be somewhere in the constitutional protections they enjoy.Is freedom of the Press in the Constitution? Is there a right to information? Following the last general election when some election workers were not given an opportunity to vote because of mi