Slowley wants orientation programme for farm workers
Published:Wednesday | October 12, 2022 | 12:13 AMJudana Murphy/Gleaner Writer
St Elizabeth North Eastern Member of Parliament Delroy Slowley has called on the Government to host mandatory orientation sessions for Jamaicans interested in participating in the overseas seasonal farm work programme, in an effort to maintain quality workers.
“This will lead to certification, so as to allow a more effective selection process and to sensitise the candidates on matters such as conflict resolution, proper communication skills, pesticide usage, and crop management,” Slowley said in his presentation to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
He reasoned that it will give further clarity about expectations on both sides and enable an adequate pool of persons to be available at any time for selection.
Slowley recommended a partnership between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, the Jamaica Agricultural Society and HEART NSTA/Trust.
The farm work programme provides opportunities for hundreds of Jamaicans on Canadian and American farms yearly.
“This programme is too valuable to the Jamaican people for us to trifle with it and so we have to ensure that the best of persons are sent on this programme to be ambassadors,” Slowley added.
He reasoned that his constituents and the wider Jamaica are grateful for the opportunity that the programme provides and it is also a major contributor of foreign exchange and employment, which ought to be preserved.
In September, Cabinet approved the appointment of a seven-member fact-finding team to conduct investigations into the working conditions of Jamaican workers under the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme, following complaints from farm workers of poor, inhumane conditions they face working on overseas farms.
“I fully endorse that, as the well-being of our people is of paramount importance. On the other hand, we must also continue to ensure that the quality of workers is of a certain standard,” he said.
Meanwhile, Slowley acknowledged the Khaneel Farquharson Training Institute, which collaborates with his constituency office to train and foster young minds to become better contributors to society.
“The institute commenced training on October 12, 2020 and today, it has trained over 500 young men and women, who have been placed into jobs both locally and internationally. Of this amount, 90 per cent of these students have been employed in various security companies,” he said.
He added that the institute currently offers training in private security, supervisory management and customer service and it is his hope that in the near future, the institute will be equipped to offer more programmes as he strives to uplift and empower his youth constituents.
Further, Slowley said 150 youths were interviewed during the recent cruise ship recruitment, the majority of whom were successful and are awaiting processing.
Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett had told parliament in July, that 3,609 Jamaicans were hired and at least 400 applicants were rejected on medical grounds.