Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Article 2, paragraph 2(c), of the Convention. Prison labour. The Committee has noted the information concerning employment of prisoners provided by the Government, as well as the Prisons Act (Cap. 304) communicated by the Government. It has noted that, under section 44(1) of the Act, prisoners must work at such labour as may be directed by the officer in charge, with the general approval of the commissioner, and the labour may take place outside cells. As the Government indicated previously, prisoners may work outside prison premises, with the approval of the commissioner, but they are not supposed to be hired to or placed at the disposal of private individuals, companies or associations, though sometimes they are required to perform a public duty for the good of the community, such as construction of shelters for public gatherings. While having noted these indications, the Committee requests the Government to supply, with its next report, a copy of rules made by the minister under section 74(e) of the Prisons Act concerning employment of prisoners.