Charles Jr. promotes commitment to increasing the sustainability of the Farm Work Program

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Labor and Social Security Pearlel Charles Jr. says he is making significant progress in advancing the commitment to improve his ministry’s Overseas Employment Program (OEP).

During his official visit to Canada last November to meet with key program stakeholders, Charles Jr. committed at the time to make necessary improvements to the program in an effort to encourage its sustainability and expansion.

According to a press release on Tuesday, Minister Charles Jr. during this morning’s meeting with the Acting Chief of Canada Liaison Service, Althea Riley and her team, received updates on the implementation of the recommendations previously made by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Security’s Fact Finding team (MLSS).

Strategic efforts to grow the program, targeted strengthening of stakeholder relationships, improvements made to increase the effectiveness of Liaison Service members, and progress made in securing additional protections for farmworkers were among the recommendations.

The minister was told that farms previously highlighted due to concerns about living conditions had adapted most of the team’s recommendations. These improvements were reportedly implemented during the winter season and have improved the infrastructure of employee housing facilities.

The press release further noted that “efforts to grow the program through the liaison service were undertaken in the form of increased promotion of the Jamaican farm worker through a targeted marketing focus.”

“This focus entails the increased presence of liaison officers at trade and horticultural fairs; “increased engagement with potential employers through emails, calls and meetings to promote a greater selection of Jamaican farm workers and meetings with our current employers to encourage them to retain and increase their Jamaican recruitments,” the report said .

Commenting on the updates, Charles Jr. said: “We must measure our efforts to determine their effectiveness and implement further initiatives to uplift our farmworkers. With appropriate training and certification, we will continue to work towards making our employees more attractive, competitive and empowered for the available slots.”

Charles Jr. further spoke to the Liaison Officers about plans being developed to establish appropriate training for future workers through HEART, based on the needs of individual farmers, so that the training of agricultural workers in Jamaica is tailored to their individual needs. He also informed attendees that additional options were being prepared for employers to train the trainers – facilitating mutual knowledge transfer – and to create facilities where employers can meet and personally select farm workers.

Other initiatives to drive sustainability and expansion of the program include creating a role for increased employment for women and the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Charles Jr. will provide further details on these initiatives at its upcoming sector presentation.