1 May 2009
Tunis — In an address on the occasion of Tunisia's celebration of Labor Day, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali paid tribute to the country's manual and intellectual workers, as well as to its professional associations and unions, "in recognition to their accomplishment of duty and their contribution to enhancing the country's advancement on the road to prosperity and well being." "Human resources" said President Ben Ali "constitute Tunisia's inexhaustible wealth."
President Ben Ali stressed the fact that since the Change, Tunisian workers have benefited from "uninterrupted annual pay increases", which has made of the country a "unique example in the world", especially in light of the current global economic downturn, he said.
He also stressed the fact that in its latest ranking, the International Labor Organisation ranked Tunisia among the first 30 countries in the world, and the first in Africa and in the Arab world as regards minimal wages, for 2007.
"In line with this choice", the Tunisian President announced his decision to increase the minimum guaranteed wage in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
Evoking the consequences of the economic and financial crisis, President Ben Ali said that "Like all countries in the world we are going through a delicate period of financial and economic challenges that have had an adverse effect on our country, affecting the pace of growth in general, and decreasing the volume of exchanges and transactions of private enterprises, particularly the export -oriented ones, as they are tied to foreign markets".
In light of this situation, he said Tunisia has taken preventive measures for economic enterprises that have witnessed a slackening of their activities, it also adopted a structural program destined to "preserving economic priorities and objectives we have set for the coming stage" added President Ben Ali.
He also reiterated the importance of providing employments for young people and notably university graduates which "remains our constant priority" he noted, while highlighting the various measures taken "to encourage enterprises take in more of the university graduates".
Evoking the fact that Tunisia has expanded the rate of effective social security cover to 93%, President Ben Ali also stressed "the need for all concerned parties to join efforts so as to optimally prepare for reforming the retirement systems, in order to preserve their durability and guarantee the benefits they provide to all social categories."
In order to ensure the occupational safety of workers President Ben Ali announced a set of measures to offer enterprises credits of up to 5000 dinars and grants amounting to 50% of these loans.
He also announced the easing of credits and grants provided by the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM) to enterprises, as well as the lowering of their interest rate.
Always with a view to promote occupational health and safety projects, President Ben Ali announced the creation of a "Prize for Occupational Health and Safety" to be awarded on a yearly basis to enterprises distinguished in this field.
"Ensuring invulnerability for our country and well being for our people requires perseverance in action, effort and diligence in promoting social peace, and in anchoring the traditions of dialogue and consensus" said President Ben Ali.
In a ceremony prior to his address, President Ben Ali honored a number of workers and heads of businesses, who distinguished themselves in their respective sectors of activity.
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