Networking carried out by Island representatives at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) earlier this month is set to help improve training on the Island, according to Labour and Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton.

Mr. Horton attended the 92nd Session in Geneva, Switzerland with ?representatives of worker groups, employers and Government?.

Members of the ?tripartite partnership? included Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess, Bermuda Trade Union Congress president Maynard Dill, Bermuda Employers? Council president Edward Saints, Bermuda Employers? Council executive director Andrea Mowbray and Department Labour and Training acting director Glenn Fubler.

On Friday Mr. Horton said: ?One of the positive outcomes of the networking opportunities was the likelihood that Bermuda would benefit from the expertise of a staff member of the University of the West Indies who will facilitate a training and development programme for the local labour relations community.

?A second positive outcome was the opportunity that Mr. Fubler and I had to meet with ILO?s senior specialist on labour standards, John Messenger, who provided advice with respect to proposed amendments to the Employment Act 2000.?

Mr. Horton said he would be sharing his observations to members of the Labour Advisory Council in the coming days.

Mr. Horton also noted that the Labour Advisory Council ?is structured on the principle of tripartism that is espoused in progressive jurisdictions throughout the world? and is the ?key ingredient of the process that ILO has developed?.

Other matters that became a concern during the ILO was the subject of gender.

?It is of concern to the ILO that the percentage of female representatives at the Annual Conference, about 20 percent of the total number, is not as high as might be hoped.?

Although Ms Mowbray attended this year?s Conference, Mr. Horton said: ?It is my hope that there will be a greater level of female participation among the Bermuda delegation at next year?s Conference.?

During the annual conference, the delegates were addressed by heads of state including President Tarja Halonen of Finland, President Benjamin W. Mkapa of Tanzania and President Jose Zapatero of Spain.

Mr. Horton explained the process at ILO. He said: ?At the core of the formal process taking place at the ILO is the work of various committees. The process is central to the unique mechanism that is the ILO. Work is first done in the separate meetings of the social partners and then brought to committee. The Application of Standards Committee is an important standing body that from year to year operates a system of assessing whether member countries are adhering to International Labour Standards provided by the conventions and recommendations.?