CAEI reaffirms its Child Labor Prohibition Policy before authorities

Consorcio Azucarero de Empresas Industriales CAEI, reaffirmed before the competent labor authorities the continued enforcement of its Child Labor Prohibition Policy in company-owned operations and those of its sugar cane supply chain.

During the sessions organized by the Ministry of Labor to establish local Child Labor Watch Cells in the municipalities of Quisqueya, Consuelo and Los Llanos, representatives of CAEI restated to Dr. Gladys Sofia, that there is no child labor in CAEI’s agricultural operations and that the company has instituted corporate policies in hiring, enrolment and production control, to prevent the presence of children in agricultural work.

Dr. Azcona stated that the incidence of child labor in the Dominican Republic has been reduced siginificantly.  Azcona continued to indicate “that is why we are travelling throughout the country to share the good news that our children should not be working.”  She acknowledged that the Ministry of Labor is aware that there is no child labor in the sugar industry and this was reiterated by the Director of Inspections, Dr. Juan Ramón Ventura.

CAEI was represented in the meetings for the institution of the Local Watch Groups by Luis González and Héctor León, director and manager of Human Resources; Juan Tejada, Independent Supply Chain Manager; and, Ricardo Báez, Occupational Health and Safety manager.  Daniel Moreno, General Operations Manager of La Finca Unidad, an affiliated sugar cane supply operation, also participated in the meetings.

Representatives of CAEI and La Finca’s labor unions participated in the municipal meetings, by invitation of the Ministry of Labor. 

In addition to Doctors Azcona and Ventura, Federico Gomera, Director of Child Labor Prevention; Leonor Martínez, Provincial Representative of the Ministry of Labor; and Daniel Odefa, from the Ministry’s Press Department, also attended the Watch Cells sessions.