Some workers in SVG are still being enslaved

Editor: Are most Vincentians or even those in authority aware of the problems women face working in stores in Middle Street in Kingstown? Many are of the impression that all of these ladies are uneducated; this is not so. Some of them graduated from secondary school and there are even those who went to college. They applied several places, seeking admirable jobs, with no success.{{more}} So, they adopted the philosophy that it is better to earn an honest dollar than no dollar, as old people say “your time will come.”

Then it boils down to them being insulted by their employers regarding them as uneducated and good for nothing. Some even face sexual molestation, which is brushed under the carpet when reported. As if that was not bad enough, they subject them to working illegal overtime hours, for which they aren’t paid. When will the Labour Department, or even the Government, stand up for the rights of these people? What is the Government doing to protect the rights of our women? We are celebrating the rights of workers, while some of us are still being enslaved.

Enslaved