For years, cases of corruption have continually damaged the reputation of the National Old Age Insurance Office (ONA). Questions also arise about the governance of the Work Accident, Sickness and Maternity Insurance Office (OFATMA).

These two institutions are supposed to be supervised by the Administrative Council of Social Security Bodies (CAOSS), a tripartite entity involving the Government, the Private Sector and the Union Sector. However, this structure has ceased to exist since 2019, recalls the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH).

At the request of the Haitian Government, expressed via the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), the Private sector and the Union sector presented candidates for the CAOSS and the Superior Council of Salaries (CSS) at the beginning of the month of September 2023.

More than months later, no publication has yet been made in the official journal "Le Moniteur" concerning the establishment of these two entities.

ADIH was informed that the International Labor Organization (ILO) was working with MAST to revise the laws governing ONA and OFATMA, as well as CAOSS.

ADIH supports the principle according to which the Private Sector and the Union Sector have the right and responsibility to participate in the development of these laws. As a tripartite body composed of representatives from the three sectors, ADIH believes that CAOSS should oversee the drafting of these new laws. The ONA and OFATMA laws have not been amended for more than 50 years and require urgent revision.

Furthermore, ADIH recalls that the Higher Wages Council should meet regularly to assess the need to adjust the minimum wage in the country and present its conclusions to the executive power. The last revision of the minimum wage dates back almost 2 years, in February 2022 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36009-haiti-flash-minimum-wages-the-government-readjusts-upwards-final-version-official.html . Meanwhile, workers face high double-digit inflation…

HL/ HaitiLibre