KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson on Labour and Social Security, Senator Dr Floyd Morris, is calling on the Minister of Labour and Social Security to stop politicizing the Overseas Employment Programme.

According to Dr Morris, “…the minister of labour and social security has given instructions for all names in the pool of workers who have been selected for the Overseas Employment Programme up to September 2020, to be cancelled.”

Additionally, Morris said it has been revealed that the minister indicated that, “only new recruits selected by new Members of Parliament, will be selected for the programme”.

“If this is true, it is a blatant attempt to politicize the Overseas Employment Programme and should be strongly condemned,” the Opposition spokesman said.

“It is unfair to those individuals who have gone through a genuine selection process, with trained technocrats from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, to be discarded based on political considerations and machinations,” he added.

“Members of Parliament are not qualified to select individuals for the Overseas Employment Programme. They can recommend individuals. But the selection of these individuals must be left up to the trained individuals who understand the criteria of overseas employers.

“If we continue this worrying trend, it will place this programme that has brought in billions of dollars to Jamaican families on an annual basis at serious risk,” the senator said.

At the expiration of 21 days, Senator Morris, said he intends to ask the minister the following questions:

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Up to September 2021, how many individuals were travelling on the Overseas Employment Programme?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Between 2016 and 2020, how many individuals were selected for the Overseas Employment Programme?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]How many individuals are currently in the pool to travel on the Overseas Employment Programme?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Can the minister state how these individuals were identified and selected?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Can the minister state if there is a change in the selection process and explain what this process is?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Are public servants involved in this selection process?[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Can the minister indicate if overseas employers have made any complaints on the quality of workers coming from Jamaica up to September 2021?[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]