The US Department of State 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report reveals that for the third year running, the Government has not disclosed any information regarding the number of labour inspections conducted, nor has it identified any violations of child labour laws.
According to the report, the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations (MEPIR) does have labour inspectors in place, tasked with identifying breaches of labour laws, such as wage violations. In addition, the Government reportedly provides training for these labour inspectors in how to identify victims of labor exploitation.
However, past observations highlight that these inspectors may lack a comprehensive understanding of forced labour issues or the ability to enforce child labour-related legislation effectively.
The report also mentions the Ministry of Labour’s permanent secretary’s role in issuing authorization certificates for employment agencies, based on their compliance with the Employment Relations Regulations of 2008. The penalties for operating without authorization can be severe, with agencies facing the threat of a $20,000 fine, a prison term of up to four years for their supervising officials, or both.
Despite these penalties, no agencies were convicted during the report’s coverage period.