Archives: News

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Limited Service Delivery at the Ministry of Labour & Social Security’s St. James Parish Office

The Ministry of Labour & Social Security is advising the public that limited services will be offered at the newly relocated Office at 4 Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay from Wednesday, September 1, 2021 through to Friday September 3, 2021.

This is due to unforeseen circumstances that arise during the relocation exercise.

The Ministry appreciates your kind understanding and expects full service to be restored on Wednesday, September 8, 2021. We apologize for the inconveniences this may cause.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Friday, August 27, 2021

Relocation of the Ministry of Labour & Social Security’s St. James Parish Office

The Ministry of Labour & Social Security is advising the public that its St. James Parish Office will be relocated to its original home at 4 Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay effective Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

The telephone numbers and email addresses will remain the same.

The Ministry apologizes for the inconveniences this may cause and looks forward to serving you even better.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Closure of the Ministry of Labour & Social Security’s St. James Parish Office

The Ministry of Labour & Social Security is advising the public that its St. James Parish Office will be closed at 2:00p.m. on Thursday, August 26, and on 12 noon on Friday, August 27, 2021.

The closure is to facilitate the relocation of the office effective September 1, 2021, to its original address at:

4 Sam Sharpe Square,

Montego Bay,

St, James.

The telephone and email contact details will remain the same.

The Ministry appreciates your kind understanding during the relocation exercise and apologizes for the inconveniences this may cause.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Monday, August 9, 2021

Samuda Condemns Violent Attack on Farm Worker

Labour and Social Security Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda is condemning the recent violent attack on a Jamaican farm worker in Canada.

Minister Samuda said the attack has come as a surprise, especially as the Ministry is intensifying efforts to grow the programme, which provides temporary employment to over 10,000 Jamaicans annually in Canada.

The Labour and Social Security Minister said the Ministry has reached out to both parties to provide the requisite support.

Minister Samuda is urging farm workers not to use violence to settle disagreements, but to instead utilize all available dispute resolution channels including the Jamaica Liaison Service.

The Jamaica Liaison Service is an arm of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security based in Canada that sees to the welfare and safety of Jamaican farm workers in that country.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Monday, August 9, 2021

Samuda Expresses Shock of Violent Attack on Farm Worker

Labour and Social Security Minister, Karl Samuda is expressing shock, regret and condemnation of a violent attack on a Jamaican farm worker in Canada.

According to Minister Samuda, the alleged attack on the Jamaican farm worker has come as a big surprise, at a time when the Ministry is intensifying efforts to capitalize on every opportunity to increase the numbers annually.

Minister Samuda said the Ministry has reached out to both parties to provide the requisite support.

He is also appealing to all farm workers not to use violence as a mean of settling disputes, but instead should utilize all the available channels including the Jamaican Liaison Services provided to each farm worker by the Ministry.

He said while he is shocked to hear of the incident, it must be condemned in the strongest terms.

The Labour and Social Security Minister is also warning that violent acts will not be tolerated by the Ministry in any of its operations locally or overseas.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Samuda Condemns Violence against Senior Citizens

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Karl Samuda is condemning the recent spate of violent attacks on senior citizens as an act of cowardice and insanity.

In the past week, the gruesome murder of 82-year old Dorris Gordon is but one of the reported incidents of violence against older persons recently.

According to Minister Samuda, at a time when senior citizens are most vulnerable and extremely concerned about their health and safety during this COVID-19 pandemic, the abuse being meted out to them must be condemned in the strongest terms. He said these brutal attacks on our senior citizens reflect a degree of senselessness in our society and question our commitment to the sanctity of life.

“Therefore, I call on my fellow Jamaicans to care for and protect senior citizens, who have toiled to build our nation and have a right, as all citizens of Jamaica, to safety and security. It is our duty.  We must enhance the development of a gentle and caring society,” Minister Samuda said.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Fake News: Labour & Social Security Ministry Announces List of Persons To Receive Grants

The Ministry of Labour & Social Security, is dismissing as ‘Fake News’ a Social Media posting in circulation suggesting that there is a list of names of persons announced by the Ministry, who will receive ‘Government Grants’, valued at JA$150,000 to persons who have worked during the period 2010 to 2021.

There is no truth to this information. It is an internet scam.

Screenshot images with associated website links, bearing the Ministry’s branding and the details surround such grants, being propagated, is also false.

Members of the public are being asked to ignore any such communication received electronically or otherwise and to desist from sharing this information. The Ministry is encouraging persons to check and verify that any  information about its services is authentic before taking any action.

To learn more about eligibility or to apply for any of the grants offered under the Ministry of Labour & Social Security’s Social Programmes, contact the Public Relations Unit: (876) 967-5484, or send an email to: prunit@mlss.gov.jm or visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Friday, July 16, 2021

MLSS North Street Office Telephone Numbers Back in Service

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is advising the public that the telephone numbers 876-922-9500-9 for its office located at 1F North Street, Kingston, are now back in service.

We thank our customers/clients and stakeholders for their patience during the period of inconvenience.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Samuda pledges to Grow Overseas Employment Programme

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Karl Samuda has pledged to grow the Overseas Employment Programme to 30,000 participants over the next four years.

Each year, approximately 7,000 Jamaicans participate in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security led programme on H-2A (Agricultural) and H-2B (Hospitality) visas. Another 6,000 Jamaicans are placed in the US by private employment agencies.

“We recognize the transformative power of this programme in the lives of participants, their families and their communities. So, we want to aggressively grow the programme from 13,000 to 30,000 participants over the next four years. However, as we do so, we must ensure that our workers have the necessary protections,” said Minister Samuda.

Minister Samuda met with officials from the Department of State, the Department of Labour and the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C on Wednesday, July 14 and discussed the expansion of the programme, as well as the provision of Health Insurance for H-2A Agricultural workers.

“The meetings have been successful and we will continue to dialogue with the US government. They are committed to this mutually beneficial programme and importantly, they have agreed to review some of the regulations especially as they relate to the provision of Insurance for our workers,” Minister Samuda concluded.

Minister Samuda also met with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, as well as Jamaicans in the diaspora, who have committed to playing their part to facilitating the expansion of the programme.

Over the next two days, Minister Samuda will meet with potential employers in Washington, D.C and Miami, Florida.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more

Public Relations Unit

1F North Street, Kingston

Tel: (876) 967-5484

Fax: (876) 948-2831

Monday, July 12, 2021

Samuda to Tour US Farms

Minister of Labour & Social Security, the Honourable Karl Samuda left the island on Monday, July 12, 2021 for a tour of Farms in the United States where Jamaican Farmworkers are employed.

Minister Samuda will use the visit to meet with current and prospective employers to promote the Overseas Employment Programme, as he seeks to strengthen the existing relationships and create new opportunities for expansion and improvement of the Programme. Minister Samuda will also meet with officials from the US Government. The last ministerial visit of this nature was in August 2018.

Despite the setbacks associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic, approximately 4,500 workers travelled on the Programme to the United States in 2020. Since January this year, 2,928 Jamaican Farmworkers have left the island for temporary employment on farms in the United States.

Minister Samuda is scheduled to return to the island on July 17, 2021.

Contact: V George Palmer, Dir. Public Relations & Communications (876) 820-5373 or (876) 967-5484
|Email: vando.palmer@mlss.gov.jm/prunit@mlss.gov.jm
Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlssjamaica/?ref=bookmarks; Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamaicaMlss and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlssjamaica Visit our website: www.mlss.gov.jm for more