WEST Portland MP Daryl Vaz has asked Labour Minister Derrick Kellier to intervene in the allocation of farm work tickets, following complaints that some applicants recommended by him have been turned down.

According to Vaz, several of his constituents that he recommended for the seasonal work programme have complained that during the interview at the labour ministry, they were advised that they were being refused based on the occupation stated in their passports.

Vaz said that upon their insistence that they were registered farmers, he sought verification from the Portland office of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) as to whether these individuals were in fact registered farmers prior to being selected by him for the farm work programme. Vaz said that he has subsequently received 11 verification letters from RADA and was awaiting responses to another nine.

Vaz said that as a result he has requested of Minister Kellier that these rejected applicants be re-examined, and that the verification letters from the RADA parish be now used as part of the supporting documentation prior to the interview with the ministry.

“It is unreasonable and unjust that an electrician by profession who has had to resort to farming due to lack of employment and opportunities can prove his legitimacy through RADA is rejected without an opportunity to provide proof. I am confident that Minister Kellier will review this issue to allow all registered farmers to qualify, once they meet the other criteria,” Vaz said.

He said that he has also advised his colleague MPs of this situation as he believed that applicants from other constituencies could be affected in the same manner.

According to Vaz, due to lack of employment opportunities in some areas of his constituency several people have been forced to engage in farming.