KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FOR LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY, HONOURABLE MAKHOSI VILAKATI, DURING THE COOPERATIVES DAY HELD AT METROPOLITAN CHURCH ON THURSDAY THE 25TH JULY, 2019 - MANZINI
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
HONOURABLE MINISTER, SENATOR KHUMALO
HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
THE MAYOR OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF MANZINI
PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES HERE PRESENT
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND WORKERS
COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
ALL MEDIA HOUSES PRESENT
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
GREETINGS TO YOU ALL HERE IN MANZINI!!!
INTRODUCTION
- 1. IT IS AN HONOUR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE PART OF THIS AUSPICIOUS DAY, WHERE COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND ALSO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH RUNNING SUCH BUSINESS AND ALSO SHARE STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH.
- 2. PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE MEMBERS OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN THE COUNTRY AND THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THIS FUNCTION, FOR TAKING THE BOLD STEP OF STARTING BUSINESSES OF THIS NATURE, WHERE MEMBERS COME TOGETHER AND PUT RESOURCES IN A POOL IN ORDER TO HELP ONE ANOTHER AS THEY EMBARK IN INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE BUSINESSES, SAVING SCHEMES AND INCOME GENERATING PROJECTS.
- 3. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE HONOURABLE MINISTER AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TRADE FOR THE IMPORTANT ROLE IT PLAYS IN PROVIDING THE NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT REGULATORY MECHANISM, PROMOTIONAL GUIDENCE, SUPPORT AND TRAINING TO ENSURE GROWTH AND THE PROLIFERATION OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN THE COUNTRY.
ROLE OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN THE ECONOMY
- 4. COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES THE WORLD OVER ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR ABILITY TO EMPOWER CITIZENS WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL OF SAVING MONEY, NO MATTER HOW SMALL THOSE MONTHLY SAVINGS MAY BE, WITH THE SOLE OBJECTIVE OF FIGHTING POVERTY HEAD-ON AND RESTORING DIGNITY TO PEOPLE.
- 5. TODAY, IN AN ERA WHEN MANY PEOPLE FEEL POWERLESS TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE THEIR LIVES, COOPERATIVES REPRESENT A STRONG, VIBRANT, AND VIABLE ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVE. COOPERATIVES ARE FORMED TO MEET PEOPLE’S MUTUAL NEEDS. THEY ARE BASED ON THE POWERFUL IDEA THAT TOGETHER, A GROUP OF PEOPLE CAN ACHIEVE GOALS THAT NONE OF THEM COULD ACHIVE ALONE IN A LIFETIME. FOR OVER MANY YEARS NOW, COOPERATIVES HAVE BEEN AN EFFECTIVE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO EXERT CONTROL OVER THEIR ECONOMIC LIVELIHOODS. AS GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE FACED WITH CHALLENGES IN THE FISCUS, AND THEREFORE CUT DOWN ON SERVICES AND WITHDRAW FROM REGULATING MARKETS, COOPERATIVES ARE CONSIDERED USEFUL MECHANISMS TO MANAGE RISKS FOR MEMBERS IN A NUMBER OF BUSINESS ENDEAVOURS, AND ALSO HELP WORKERS TO SAVE FOR THE FUTURE.
- 6. COOPERATIVES ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS ECONOMIC GROWTH AS SOME OF THEM, AS THEY GROW, CREATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS; AND IN THIS WAY THEY HELP REDUCE THE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THE COUNTRY IS FACED WITH.
PROMOTION OF THE DECENT WORK AGENDA
- 7. WE ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO NOTE THAT THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR’S COOPERATIVE DAY IS “COOPERATIVES FOR DECENT WORK”. AS THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY, TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROMOTING DECENT WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE WORLD OF WORK, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE COOPERATIVES AND ALL BUSINESS ENTITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE THAT THEY COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT BEST PRACTICES AND THE TENETS OF THE DECENT WORK AGENDA.
- 8. DECENT WORK SUMS UP THE ASPIRATIONS OF PEOPLE IN THEIR WORKING LIVES. IT INVOLVES OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORK THAT IS PRODUCTIVE AND DELIVERS A FAIR INCOME; SECURITY IN THE WORKPLACE AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR FAMILIES; BETTER PROSPECTS FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION; FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS; ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND TREATMENT FOR ALL WOMEN AND MEN. IN SUMMARY, THE ILO DECENT WORK AGENDA HAS FOUR PILLARS, NAMELY: JOB CREATION, RIGHTS AT WORK, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL DIALOGUE, WITH GENDER EQUALITY AS A CROSSCUTTING OBJECTIVE.
- 9. ALL THESE TENETS OF THE DECENT WORK AGENDA ARE COVERED IN THE LABOUR LAWS OF THE COUNTRY, AND IT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR EVERY BUSINESS TO HAVE COPIES OF THE LABOUR LAWS, PARTICULARLY THE MINIMUM WAGES AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ARTICULATED IN THE SECTORAL WAGES REGULATION ORDERS. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR IS ALSO EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR ADVICE AS ITS OFFICES ARE SPREAD THROUGHT THE MAJOR TOWNS OF THE COUNTRY. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL BUSINESS PEOPLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF OUR OFFICES.
CONCLUSION
- 10. PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, AS I CONCLUDE, ALLOW ME, ONCE AGAIN, TO THANK THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TRADE FOR ITS ROLE IN PROMOTING COOPERATIVES AND ALSO FOR ENCOURAGING THEM IN THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS GROWING THE ECONOMY BY APPREACIATING THEIR EFFORTS BY ENSURING THAT WE CELEBRATE THE COOPERATIVES DAY HERE TODAY.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!!