50 farm workers off to Washington DC

250 more headed for US capital

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

FIFTY farm workers left the island yesterday for Gebbers Farms in Washington DC, United States, as part of the Overseas Agricultural Employment Programme.

The men are among 300 farm workers who will benefit from a deal secured last year by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with Gebbers, which owns more than 5,000 acres of apples and more than 2,000 acres of cherry trees in the US capital.

Another 50 workers are scheduled to depart for the US today, while the remaining workers will leave on May 12 and on June 3.

Addressing the workers at the Overseas Employment Centre on East Street in Kingston on Monday, Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles urged them to "demonstrate discipline and decency at all times".

"One Jamaican made it possible for you to travel. I understand that five Jamaicans were on a farm and their hard work, discipline and (good) behaviour attracted a farmer and he went to one of them to enquire about where they were from and the farmer made this request because of this one farm worker, Lester Cohen," Charles told the men.

Cohen, according to Charles, is a dedicated and disciplined worker. He promised to recommend him for an award so that he will be recognised nationally.

"I am appealing to you, don't let us down, work hard and send back yourself," Charles said.

Last year, more than 4,000 farm workers were sent to the US under the programme.

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COMMENTS (22)

Maxine Brown-Roberts
5/6/2010

To clarify: There are no farms in Washington, District of Columbia. Tricia, you have made matters even worse by stating that they have to transfer in Washington DC (actually the airport is in the state of Virginia) and international flights do not go there. Based on this report and comments I hope they arrive at their intended destination.

John Curious Public
5/6/2010

I hope their tickets are for Sea-Tac and not Reagan or Dulles.....
Seriously, a correction to this article is in order.
Yard Vybz.....nothing wrong with spreading a little knowledge.
We haffi look out fi we own "countrymen" farmers. Dem work hard fi di little petty.....;-)

John Curious Public
5/5/2010

"send back yourself"
.
LOL............couldn't have said it better myself.

Curtis Ward
5/5/2010

It has already been corrected as to the location of the farm, but that is poor editing and poor journalism. Someone mentioned flying to Washington DC to get to Washington State. That would be a round about route.

Benny A
5/5/2010

Gentle folks remember that we are not infallible and should be less harsh when criticizing or are correcting others.
Now lets address the point: Thumbs up Pearnel and thanks Barack!!

Duque Molton
5/5/2010

Jaye Stone, these people are not curse. They will make more money there than here working on a farm and the exposure is good. Some of them may have been here and not working.
Nancy G Jimmy Buffet has been here many times, so I doubt that would be news to get to the paper. Are you sure it is not Warren Buffet?

Yard Vibz
5/5/2010

Mr. Moderator, I’m now convinced that some of your posters have absolutely no manners whatsoever. Imagine, because most of them are privileged enough to reside in the US, where they are occupied with cam-around jobs, they behave as if they are on top of the world. Nancy, a yuh mi a talk, unno too intelligent, wha mek unno nuh read New York Times or USA Today? Yah kno, mi tired a get bad people! Peace out!

george watson
5/5/2010

Well the prime minister did promise jobs and more jobs.

Natasha Francia
5/5/2010

@ Jaye Stone.....where or Which farm in jamaica can these 300 men earn a possible $200,000.00 per mth? and y are these men idiots to want to go outside of there country to make a living? life is rough everywhere and if the opportunity arises for a good income to feed their families, its very smart of them to jump on that boat.........since ur so smart, I wonder if you have a job?

Nancy G
5/5/2010

Oh, and now I just read that Constable Beckworth was arrested for trying to bribe a motorist! He accepted a bribe, you idiots. Who's running the Observer these days?

Nancy G
5/5/2010

Yes, can't we get our stories straight? Jimmy Buffet is visiting Jamaica, not Warren Buffet. Washington DC is not an agricultural area. For heaven's sake--editors, edit!

Tricia Grindley
5/5/2010

But Mike Willy - There are apple farms in the Western and Eastern regions of Washington.
See: http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard
As for cherry farms, there are some in Washington State.
See: http://www.nwcherries.com
Perhaps the report should have been more specific, but, at the end of the day, you have to fly to D.C. first, to then continue the journey to Washington State where I assume these farms are located. Have faith!

Tricia Grindley
5/5/2010

We have the potential to build back our Agricultural sector simultaneously as we re-tool our EXTREMELY tarnished image in the global arena. I hate to hear the reprehensible news about local and overseas, Jamaican inspired gangs. IT HURTS US!!!! We need to use our human resources to reverse this terrible cycle of bad PR because hard working Jamaicans, such as these farmers, do not deserve to be maligned.....and they will be. We live in a world of judgment and generalisation......and one in which the negative seemingly consumes all that is positive. BUT - It is a success in and of itself to learn that one, Jamaican farmer was the catalyst for this program. There's a positive thread brewing, here. As I always say- fingers crossed!

Claude Ingram
5/5/2010

Nowadays reporters don't have to leave their desk to get a story, they can just surf the web.
http://www.jis.gov.jm/labour/html/20100504T170000-0500_23824_JIS_50_MORE_FARM_WORKERS_FOR_WASHINGTON_D_C_.asp

john blake
5/5/2010

T thought these relationships ended based on the discussion in our media re Jamaicans and the USA

mike willy
5/5/2010

Mr Editor, There is no apples and cherry farms in DC.

Howard Brown
5/5/2010

Washington DC is approximately 10 square miles. There are no farming operations in the District of Columbia (DC). I believe the article should read Washington State.

Winston Blake
5/5/2010

The correct location of Gebbers Farms is in Washington State on the west coast of the US. Not Washington DC.

Richie L
5/5/2010

Wow!
.
Farms in Washington DC. Who would have known?
One learns something new everyday.
.
Richie

A. Croft
5/5/2010

Those men look very happy and very physically fit.
They will be able to feed their families. Many, in the past, worked and invested their money in Jamaica. They were able to leave their children an inheritance; contrast this to the men who sit around, get drunk, smoke marijuana, join gangs; some complain about colonialism of the past, and bad life.
Go men! Show them that the work ethic still exists and be very proud.
Also, such physical fitness has other rewards besides money; you can add longevity to that as well.

Jaye Stone
5/5/2010

What a big accomplishment! Fifty men, hand-picked to go to pick fruit in a country with a temperate climate, where vegetation goes dead in winter, when we have year-round sunshine and soil where seeds grow by accident.
Is something wrong with this picture? Are black people cursed?

Eric B
5/5/2010

Gebbers Farm (http://www.gebbersfarms.com/) is in the state of Washington, not Washington, DC. This shows very poor research as there is no farm of that magnitude in the US capital.

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50 farm workers off to Washington DC