International Labour Organisation's regional advisor on employer activities in the Caribbean, Mr. Jimmy Williams.

Mr. Williams, who was invited to Bermuda this week by the Task Force on Employment, is collecting information on all employer organisations in the Caribbean.

A former executive director of Barbados Employers Confederation and employer deputy member of the ILO's governing body prior to taking up his present post in April, Mr. Williams is also here to share whatever technical services and information the ILO has to offer.

As regional employers' advisor Mr. Williams plans to visit all 13 employers organisations in the Caribbean before year end and put together proposals for a programme of activities, both regional and individual, for employer organisations.

Mr. Williams said he expects his proposal to form the basis of discussion at the Caribbean employers organisation round table meeting in Antigua next April.

So far the Trinidad and Tobago-based employers advisor has collected information from there, the Bahamas and Jamaica.

Since arriving on Sunday, he has met with the task force's work place committee, headed by Bermuda Electric Light Company general manager Mr. Alf Oughton and the deputy chairman, Bermuda Public Service Association general secretary Mr. Eugene Blakeney MP.

In addition to meeting with this group, Mr. Williams met this week with Labour and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. John Irving Pearman, the Employers Council, Government Labour Relations Officers Mr. Gladstone (Tab) Bassett and Mr. Edwin Wilson, the employment task force. He also made a courtesy call to Bermuda Industrial Union president Mr. Ottiwell Simmons MP.

While refusing to comment on Bermuda's present labour situation, particularly the Bermuda Forwarders/Bermuda Industrial Union dispute, because of his post as a senior civil servant, Mr. Williams said arbitration is a recognised process of resolving disputes.

"I would hope the parties involved cooperate with each other to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible,'' he would only add.

Mr. Oughton stressed that the broad-base employment task force will be bringing in other guests, including two regional workers' advisors next month, to gather as much helpful information as possible for its report which will go to the Premier.

He said he personally believes Bermuda's has not moved forward as quickly in industrial relations as in other areas.

"Just as equally,'' he said, "as employers and trade unionists we have not moved forward fast enough in industrial relations in a way that needs to be done.

"More opportunity has to be made for the three parties (employers, workers, and unions) to get a better understanding of what affects the country as a whole rather than as a particular group.'' PHOTO The ILO's Mr. Jimmy Williams.