Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. is making significant
head way in furthering his commitment to improve his ministry’s Overseas Employment
Programme (OEP).
During his official visit to Canada last November, to meet with primary stakeholders of
the programme, Charles Jr. at that time made a commitment to make the necessary
improvements to the programme to boost its sustainability and expansion.
Speaking at this morning’s meeting with the Acting Chief of the Canadian Liaison
Service, Mrs. Althea Riley and her team, Minister Charles Jr received updates regarding
the implementation of the recommendations previously made by the Ministry of Labour
and Social Security’s (MLSS) Fact Finding team, strategic efforts to grow the programme,
targeted strengthening of stakeholder relationships, improvements made to boost the
effectiveness of the members of the liaison service, and the progress made in securing
additional protections for our farm workers.
The Minister was advised that farms previously highlighted for concern regarding living
conditions had adapted most of the recommendations made by the team. These
improvements were made during the winter season and have boosted the infrastructure
of the housing facilities for workers.
Efforts to grow the programme through the liaison service were being undertaken in the
form of increased promotion of the Jamaican Farm Worker through a targeted
marketing focus. This focus entails the increased attendance of liaison officers at trade
and horticultural shows; increased engagement with prospective employers through
emailing, calling and meetings to promote increased selection of Jamaican Farm
Workers and meeting with our current employers to encourage them to retain and
increase their Jamaican hires.
Responding to the updates Minister Charles Jr. said, “we need to measure our efforts to
determine their effectiveness and implement further initiatives to boost our farm
workers. With fit for purpose training and certification we will continue to work towards
making our workers more attractive, more competitive and a stronger competitor for
available slots.”
Charles Jr. further spoke to the liaison officers regarding plans being developed to
establish fit for purpose training for prospective workers through HEART, based on the
needs of individual farmers, to have the training in Jamaica of farmworkers tailored to
their individual needs. He also informed attendees additional options were underway for
employers to train the trainers- facilitating mutual knowledge transfer- and to establish
facilities for employers to meet and select farmworkers in person.
Further initiatives to boost the sustainability and expansion of the programme include
creating roles for increased employment of women and the inclusion or persons with
disabilities. Minister Charles Jr. will provide further details on these initiatives during his
upcoming sectoral presentation.
