Ministry of Labour Seeks Consultancy for Modernizing Belize’s Labour Laws

The Ministry of Labour has announced a significant initiative to modernize the country’s labour laws.  The modernization is looking to address the needs of an evolving workforce as well as socio-economic challenges. Through a recently issued Call for Proposals, the Ministry is now looking for a qualified consultancy firm that could undertake a comprehensive review of the Labour Act.  CEO Valentino Shal says the exercise is overdue, and that the hope is to develop a legislative framework that would align with international standards.  

Valentino Shal, CEO, Ministry of Rural Transfer: “This review of Belize’s Labour Act is actually more than amendments. It’s a comprehensive overhaul of the entire Labor Laws of Belize. And we feel that this initiative is very critical and necessary because we are moving Belize’s economy to a more modernized economy and the labor laws are a little out of date and so they need to be brought into date and of course, address some of those things that are not covered by the current legislation because this legislation that we currently have was written when Belize was still a colony before independence. And so we need to really overhaul the labor law to reflect today’s realities.”

This comprehensive effort aims to address critical issues such as workers’ rights, fair wages, gender equality, and the future of work, while also simplifying and modernizing existing legislation to make it more accessible and actionable for all stakeholders. Shal mentions that it is important to create laws that fit today’s reality. 

Valentino Shal, CEO, Ministry of Rural Transfer: “We have to look at where we are. Where we are in 2024, the structure of the economy is very different. Back then we were a log-wood based economy, then we went into commodities and now it’s a service based economy. So the laws have to reflect the realities of the economy. So that’s really what we’re looking at. And of course, again, it has served us well. Let’s not bash the law. It has served us well. We have to have a law now that serves us for another 50 years. So that’s what we’re really trying to do.”

Last week, Cabinet had approved changes to the composition of the Labour Review Committee and updated its terms of reference, ensuring an inclusive and efficient review process.