The Department of Labour Relations is the government institution responsible for Labour dministration and Industrial Relation in St. Lucia. It is equipped with a cadre of labour officers charged with the policing of the Labour Laws, inspecting workplaces, providing guidance to employers and employees as

September 6, 2006

well as conciliating in disputes between those parties. Therefore, the department operates not only to correct situations where the legislation is breeched, but also to facilitate employers and employees in solving or narrowing their differences to ensure harmony in the industrial climate, a vital prerequisite for economic investment.

The advent of globalization as well as trading agreements like the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (C.S.M.E.) have signaled the need for the Department to broaden its focus and rethink its approaches to industrial relations issues. In addition to these, ongoing initiatives like public sector reform are dictating a degree of introspection by the Department of Labour Relations. As a result, the department is realizing a transformation in attitude towards customers both internally and externally. Increased single-mindedness in approaches among its officers is enabling the department to harness its strengths and to reflect more united outputs, thus building on its consistencies.