Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2002, publiée 91ème session CIT (2003)

The Committee notes the Government’s reports and the attached documentation. It also notes the observations made by the Christian Confederation of Workers of the Central African Republic (CCCT), of 26 August 2002, received by the Office on 22 October 2002, concerning the lack of facilities of the labour inspection services which are necessary to discharge their duties. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the issue raised by the CCCT and additional information on the following points.

Articles 10, 11 and 16 of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest the recruitment of ten new labour inspectors, including one occupational medicine inspector and 11 labour supervisors. It also notes that the building housing the offices of the labour inspection services in Bangui Centre has been rehabilitated. However, the Committee notes with concern the repeated indications by the Government drawing attention to the lack of material resources of the labour inspection services and, in particular, the shortage of office supplies and the absence of transport facilities. Furthermore, no measures have been taken, as required by Article 11, paragraph 2, for the reimbursement to labour inspectors of any travelling and incidental expenses necessary for the performance of their duties. These shortcomings, in practice, by the Government’s own admission, constitute serious obstacles to the application of the Convention. The economic and social value of labour inspection and the social costs of reducing its effectiveness have been emphasized by the Committee in paragraph 214 of its 1985 General Survey on labour inspection. Noting that the Labour Department is prepared to accept any financial and material support in order to overcome this situation, the Committee trusts that the Government will make every effort to obtain assistance through international cooperation and with the technical support of the ILO with a view to fulfilling the essential prerequisites for the application of the Convention. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information in the near future on any measures taken for this purpose, and the results achieved.

Articles 20 and 21. The Committee notes with regret that 38 years after the ratification of the Convention, no annual inspection report, as envisaged by these Articles of the Convention, has been provided to the ILO. The Committee recalls that the publication by the central inspection authority and the communication to the ILO of a report on the activities of the services under its control are two essential obligations and that the ILO’s technical assistance may be requested with a view to their fulfilment. The Government is therefore requested to make every effort and to take all the necessary steps to give effect to the two above provisions of the Convention and to provide information on the measures taken for this purpose.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on another point.