NINE hundred and fifty men and women — the majority of whom were requested multiple times by farm operators — left the island over the last three days to work on apple orchards in the United States as Jamaicans continue to be the most sought-after group of farm workers.

Yesterday, the latest batch of 70 workers displayed high expectations as they prepared for the journey from the Ministry of Labour offices in downtown Kingston to the Norman Manley International Airport for the flight to New York.

Among them were 55-year-old Hugh Brown, who is making his 29th trip and 65-year-old Sylvester Tulloch, who has been going for more than 35 years.

“Jamaicans are still the most sought-after group of workers because we have a reputation for hard work,” explained Allison Morrison, director at the ministry’s US Labour Department.

She told the Observer that some 4,000 workers have left for the US farm work programme since the start of this year, and while unable to immediately provide a specific figure, Morrison said even more have left for farms in Canada.

Labour Minister Pearnel Charles, who addressed the workers, encouraged them to continue representing Jamaica well. and in so doing pave the way for other Jamaicans to get an opportunity.

An upbeat Charles made it clear that the majority of the men were repeat workers who had been specifically requested by farm operators.

“I don’t want to hear that I am wicked as some men are going over and over and others can’t get to go… but this is a repeat programme and the men were requested,” he said.

Charles said he continued to receive high commendation from the US employers about the work attitude of the Jamaicans, with some even helping to bring in new business.

This, he said, was the case recently when five Jamaican workers at a farm in Washington, DC took the time out to inform farm operators about the programme. This, he said, resulted in the employers requesting some 350 Jamaicans to work.

“One farmer has advised me he will shut down his farm any day the Jamaicans go because he wants no one else,” Charles said.

But even among the glowing commendations, Charles said the programme has hit a rough patch with the US Government requesting a review of the ministry’s initiative to withhold four per cent of the workers’ salaries.

“There is some misunderstanding about what we are withdrawing from the workers’ salaries and so there has been a suspension and review of that,” Charles told the Observer.

He explained further that ministry officials should be going to the US later this week to bring a resolution to the matter.

The problem, he said, started with a number of agencies which have been illegally taking money from Jamaican workers to provide them with jobs. The Jamaican Government, he said, has since clamped down on many of these agencies.

But according to Charles, the agency in the United States authorised by the ministry to provide liaison services between the workers and the relevant US authorities has also been affected.

He explained that one per cent of the farm workers’ salaries was paid over to this agency, but this has been suspended.

The remaining three per cent is paid over to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and towards the workers’ personal savings which is later turned over to the workers on their return to Jamaica.

Charles said the US Government was prompted to act after receiving complaints about the agencies that were illegally selling jobs to workers.

But Charles stressed to the farm workers the importance of continuing to contribute to the NIS as well as to secure some sort of personal savings.

As such, he informed them that when they arrive in the United States they would be given the option of allowing the withdrawal of the NIS.

He implored them to continue to be ambassadors and represent the Jamaican worker well.

Richard Bailey, who was among the few first timers, said he was optimistic about the opportunity. With his father having made his 30th trip a day before him, Bailey said he has received a lot of tips about what to expect. A tiler by profession, Bailey said he is certain he will be able to work hard at picking apples.

“I want to make sure that I can become a consistent person like my father,” said Bailey who lives in St Catherine.

Damien Cummings from St Thomas was making his second voyage and was just as optimistic.

“My first trip was challenging until I got the hang of it, but I worked very hard and they requested me back this year,” he said.

He believes Jamaican workers are ambassadors in paving the way for other workers.

“How well we perform will determine who else they take, and so we work the hardest,” he told the Observer, adding that the Jamaicans are constantly labelled as the most hard-working above the Mexicans and the Costa Ricans.