Minister Scott commits to decreasing child labour cases especially in the Hinterland

With worrying figures of child labour subject Minster Keith Scott says he hopes that the collaboration with the Education Ministry could see a decrease in such numbers.

He said the Department of Labour is committed to bringing the numbers down, especially in the Hinterland.

In Caribbean countries the child labour rate fluctuates between 0.7 percent in Trinidad and Tobago and 16.4 percent in Guyana, according to the UNDP Caribbean Human Development 2016 Report.

Minster Scott believes that close collaboration with his department and the Education Ministry will result in the numbers gradually decreasing.

He stressed the importance of attention being placed on youth, given the fact that they make up a large percentage of the population.

Data for youth unemployment as of last year stands at 25.1 percent among both males and females in Guyana.

The UNDP report also states that in Guyana, 22 percent of children are reported to have been injured while working and 10 percent of people involved in the sex trade are reported to be children.