Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector Colin Jordan says that economic production and the health of the public must go hand in hand.
While promoting non-communicable diseases (NCD) policies that focus on people over profit, Jordan also pointed out that if the crisis of NCDs was to be addressed, the health of workers must be considered, including lifestyle and diet, beyond the workplace.
“Human beings, quite unlike machines, exist not just in the world of work, but we go home, we go to clubs, we go to parties, we go to church, we socialise, and the matter of our diet then is an extra work area consideration.
“But commercial entities must recognise that those who come to work every day, while you may have a safe environment in the workplace, are coming after having, hopefully, eaten something for breakfast.
“And if it was one of the beverages that one of your other companies sold which is full of sugar, and they come with a sugar rush, and then at 10:30, when the van turns up with the patties, there’s another sugar rush, and then you’re wondering why you don’t have a lot of production in the afternoon, [or] why people want to leave,” he said.
Regional meeting
The minister made his remarks during Thursday’s second day of the three-day regional meeting addressing the commercial determinants of NCDs in Caribbean Small Island Developing States.
Jordan reasoned that investment in employee health made sense both ethically and economically as it assured a balance between a focus on health and economic viability.
“If all businesses recognise that the engines of their production are their people, then we all want to have healthy, happy, and alert people working in our organisations.
“Our concern as human beings must be that every other human being has the possibility of living their best life. The challenge and the tension between making a profit, being sustainable, being able to support oneself, one’s family, and encouraging healthy activity, healthy diets, and a reduction in morbidity, and ultimately mortality can be worked through,” he said.
Additionally, the minister encouraged the advocates to ensure these discussion permeated through the society.
“We have to galvanise the enemies of people, the enemies of people mean those who push a lot of sugar, push a lot of salt, push smoking and vaping. The enemies of people are out there working hard, and we have to infiltrate.
“We have to push the message that people must come before profit, but that people coming before profit does not mean that people and profit are mutually exclusive. We are able to find that model that will allow everybody to earn a living and people to be as healthy as possible,” he said. ( JRN)
