ILO REPORT ON CHILD LABOUR IN BARBADOS - International ...

Executive Summary
___________________________________________________________________________________
It’s Better in the Bahamas! …700 Islands….Beaches! Food Festivals! Casinos! Dolphins!
Atlantis! The Bahamas Tourism advertisements appeal to royalty, romantics and retirees –
indeed, anyone seeking relaxation. The islands of the Bahamas offer a variety of holidays for
the over 4 million visitors who come each year. Proximity to the United States makes the
country a favourite destination for its North American neighbours, and its proximity makes it
even more attractive since ‘911.’ Tourism is the life-blood of the Bahamian economy and
revenue from the sector contributed to its classification as a high human development country,
ranking #33 on the Human Development Index in 2000. Annual per capita income was
B$12,400 (1998) and the Bahamian dollar is on par with the US currency, although income
and living standards vary widely. Prosperity and high employment attract migrant workers
from neighbouring Francophone and Anglophone countries. Researching child labour amidst
such abundance seemed a contradiction. Most Bahamians consulted associated child labour
with sweat shops in far away countries.
This Rapid Assessment on child labour in the Bahamas is part of the International Labour
Organization’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC).
ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour seeks to eradicate the
involvement of children in slavery, prostitution and pornography, illicit activities and
hazardous work.
Using the ILO/UNICEF Rapid Assessment Methodology, a five-person research team
conducted the field-work between 18-23 August 2002 to determine if there is child labour,
and if so, to determine the magnitude, characteristics, causes and consequences. Socioeconomic
data, policies, laws and conventions ratified were reviewed to determine the level
of protection.
Consistent with the decision of local stakeholders who met with the ILO/IPEC officer early in
2002, various locations in Nassau, Paradise Island and Freeport, Grand Bahama, were studied.
A convenience/snowball sampling method was used to identify key informants who were
consulted through focus group discussions, interviews, semi-structured interviews and
observations. Responses were coded to quantify the most common forms of work activity
reported and content analysis of interviews and focus group discussions provided important
qualitative data. Results were then triangulated to improve the validity of the findings.
Orientation and debriefing workshops were held with the research team prior to and after the
fieldwork and two Stakeholder workshops were held in Nassau and Freeport respectively. A
seven-person Review Team appointed by stakeholders, met on October 4 to provide feedback
on the draft report. In attendance were the Minister of Labour, Hon Vincent Peet, Permanent
Secretary, Mrs. Thelma Beneby, Mr. Harcourt Brown, Ag. Director of Labour, Mr. Leslie
Bowrin, the ILO/IPEC Officer from Trinidad and Tobago, two researchers, (Ms Denise
Samuels and Mr. William Fielding) and the ILO Researcher.
Rapid Assessments are quick and inexpensive, but because of their small sample size and
non-random sampling method, the findings cannot be generalized. They however provide a
‘picture’ of the child labour situation and a foundation for more in-depth research.
4