Farm work applicants are not being rejected because of soft hands
For Immediate Release: Friday, March 29, 2019, Kingston.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security takes note of concerns raised about its overseas employment programmes, particularly the Canadian Farm Work programme, and wishes to reassure the public that no applicant is being turned down because they have soft hands.
Candidates who are shortlisted and invited to attend an interview would have met the Programme’s basic requirements of being between the age of 21 and 45, possessing a Tax Registration Number (TRN) and a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) number, having a valid Jamaican passport; have not been refused a visa in the last year by the United States and Canadian Embassies, have no criminal record and have not been deported from any country.
Upon attending the interview, members of the Jamaica Liaison Service (JLS) in Toronto, (in the case of the Canadian Program) check the applicants to ensure that they meet the requirements as stipulated by the employers. According to Deputy Chief Liaison Officer in the JLS, Mr. Kenneth Phillips, “The physical build and capability of every applicant is very important to the employers, and so, we take those things into consideration. Absolutely no one has been rejected simply because their hands are soft.”
Applicants are expected to, among other things, be able to read and distinguish colours, have a firm grip, and not be overweight. Ideally, applicants should be taller than 5.5 feet. “Farm workers must be literate as they need to be able to read instructions, caution signs and order requests. Imagine an employee picking a barrel of green apples when the instructions were to pick red apples. That kind of activity will create productivity challenges for the employers and they may begin to look to other countries for competent
workers if we are not able to satisfy their requirements. And, if it comes to that, it could take an employer up to six (6) weeks to replace that worker,” said Phillips.
“It is our duty as Liaison Officers to ensure that we select persons who demonstrate that they are suitable to participate in the programme to facilitate its sustainability so that the programme will continue to benefit current and prospective farm workers,” he continued.
“The Ministry’s Overseas Employment Programmes are in place to improve the economic status of the farm workers. We are trying to uplift them and change their financial circumstance to a positive one and we will continue to be guided by the ground rules as set out by the employers,” said Chief Technical Director of the Social Security Division in the Ministry, Mrs. Audrey Deer-Williams.
Under a memorandum of understanding between the Jamaican Government and the Federal Government of Canada, signed in 1966, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has direct oversight of and administers the Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Programme (SAWP), popularly known as the Farm Work Programme.
In response to Article in Jamaica Star, Dated March 26, 2019 – http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20190326/tough-luck-man-soft-hands-claims-he-was-turned-down-farm-work-because-)
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Contact: Sandrea Dennis Plummer (Mrs), Public Relations Manager Straight Line: (876) 967-5484 CUG: (876) 550-3527|Email: sandrea.plummer@mlss.gov.jm or prunit@mlss.gov.jm