CARICOM and ILO Sign Significant MOU

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)     The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is closer to setting up a labour market information system for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). On Thursday, June 16, CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRoque, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The MOU allows CARICOM Member States to utilise a software tool developed by the ILO for the facilitation of labour market analysis and other related functions. The MOU was signed at the CARICOM Secretariat’s headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
The software, called .Stat, was first presented by the ILO at a regional consultation hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat in October 2015. This was attended by representatives of Ministries of Labour, Statistics and Social Security from the Member States. Coming out of subsequent meetings with Member States, it was decided that the software tool was appropriate for setting up a CARICOM Labour Market Information System (LMIS). Apart from facilitating labour market analysis, the software tool allows for the monitoring and reporting on policies as well as information sharing and coordination. The MOU authorises CARICOM and its Member States to use the software free of charge for the implementation of an LMIS both nationally and regionally.
This MOU is critical in achieving the objectives of a major project under  the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) which involves CARICOM Member States participating in the CSME ‘establishing a labour market information system for the proper management of the regime for free movement of skills within the CSME’.