Labour Ministry clueless over Kalibur Security firing 2000

L to R Former Regional Labour officer, Eleze Benjamin Hall, Kalibur Managing Director
George Gomes, former Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph and former Regional
Chairman Renis Morian

THE LABOUR MINISTRY WAS KEPT IN THE DARK as Kalibur Security axed some
2,000 workers.
Labour Minister Joe Hamilton who learned of the employees firing from a news report said the
security company might have run afoul of the law by its reported action.
In a public release, Hamilton said, “We wish to state that employers ought to be aware of certain
procedures and laws prescribed in Section 12 of the Termination of Employment and Severance
Pay Act No. 19 of 1997, which governs the termination of employees”.
Kalibur Security ignored the local industrial Act regulations because, apparently, Hamilton
learned of the workers firing from ‘Village Voice’ a privately-run media house which ran the
story under the caption ‘Kalibur Security sends home over 2,000 workers.’
The labour minister reminded the security agency that workers have rights under local laws and
the firm is duty-bound to follow them, including under what conditions workers can be fired.
“Based on the article, the Ministry has observed that at the time of reporting, Kalibur Security
has not followed the law as it relates to the purported termination of the 2000 employees,” the
ministry’s statement said.
“If this article is indeed accurate, the Ministry would like to urge Kalibur Security to take
the necessary actions that comply with the law,” the Labour Ministry release counselled.