MONTEGO BAY, St James — People’s National Party (PNP) spokesman for labour and sports Wavell Hinds has promised that if the party forms the next Government there will be tighter controls on work permits.

“We have heard the cries of our entertainers, ground transport operators and other sectors that their livelihoods are being undermined by foreign workers brought in to fill positions that could have easily been filled by qualified Jamaican workers,” he said during a recent town hall meeting in St James, part of the PNP’s campaign ahead of general elections expected to be held later this year.

“A PNP Government will enforce stricter regulations when issuing work permits. We will ensure that no work permit is granted unless it is first confirmed that no Jamaican is available to perform that task,” Hinds stated.

There have long been complaints that within swathes of the tourism sector entertainment is provided by performers from other countries. However there has been pushback in response to that narrative, with voices such as proprietor of Hah-R-Mony, Ho-Chi-Min Castillo Rolffot rejecting allegations that Jamaicans are being sidelined in the entertainment sector, particularly in tourism.

Hinds has given a commitment that the PNP will act.

“We will put in place a rigorous mechanism to screen all work permit applications, ensuring that Jamaican workers aren’t being replaced by foreign workers,” he vowed.

He also said the PNP will look at the issue of contract work which, he argued, robs workers of their dignity and puts them in a precarious situation.

“These workers are doing the same job year after year but because they are classified as temporary they are denied the benefits, security, and rights that permanent employees are entitled to. This creates a situation where workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation,” Hines argued.

“It’s unacceptable for workers to be subjected to unfair working conditions simply because of how their contracts are structured,” he added.

Hinds provided details on how a PNP Administration would address that issue.

“The PNP will introduce and pass legislation to regulate contract work in Jamaica. The law will limit the duration and scope of short-term contracts and ensure that repeated renewals trigger automatic reclassification to permanent status, thereby providing workers with job security and access to the benefits they deserve,” Hines said.

He explained that, for a lot of this to happen, the capacity of the labour ministry would need to be strengthened to meet existing challenges. The western end of the country would not be exempt from this support, he promised the Comrades.

“A PNP Government will provide the necessary resources to improve the ministry’s capacity, including increasing personnel assigned to these offices and expanding the staff at the Industrial Disputes Tribunal. We will also consider adding a second panel in the west to ensure cases are heard promptly and disputes are resolved in a more timely manner,” Hines declared.

He said there will also be a targeting of sectors deemed challenging for workers, such as business process outsourcing and tourism, with plans to establish a joint industrial council for the latter.

“We stand for decent work, as promoted by the International Labour Organization, and we believe in the power of partnership between workers and employers to make this a reality,” Hines said.