TWO more Jamaicans with disabilities have left the island for Canada to take part in the Overseas Employment (farm work) Programme.

This is part of a push by Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr under what he has dubbed the “No One Left Behind Programme”.

During an official visit to Canada last year, Charles Jr initiated discussions with several farm work programme employers, with a view to recruit Jamaicans with disabilities.

At that time Charles Jr said, “We have already started to have positive conversation with some of the employers in Canada, some of whom are open to the prospect of inviting and welcoming persons with disabilities who still have the capability and the right attitude for them to get an opportunity to engage in a programme like the farm work programme.

“So we are taking those steps, having those discussions and, hopefully, we can carve out a space for persons with disabilities in these programmes going forward.”

Less than a year later the discussions started bearing fruit, with two females with disabilities being sent off to Canada.

The women were assigned to an organic vegetable farm in Ontario where they were engaged in the planting, maintenance, harvesting, and packing of vegetables such as carrots, beets, radish, and other produce.

On Wednesday it was the time for the first two male farmworkers with disabilities to be sent off.

Charles Jr joined his team on location at the ministry’s East Street office to give a charge to the newest batch of farmworkers being assessed with the new and improved systems now in place and to give a warm send-off to the two disabled farmworkers.

“The farm work programme opens a door for opportunities for generations to come. As ambassadors to Jamaica, it is important to maintain the integrity of the programme and to garner additional opportunities for growth. Your actions while on this programme can make or break future opportunities for your fellow Jamaicans, so I implore you to be your brother’s keeper so you can open the door for further employment for other Jamaicans.

“I am now in talks which I hope will result in a programme where we can establish farms for you once you return, as you would have knowledge that our farmers here don’t, and sharing your new skill sets with them would be beneficial. Remember that you are ambassadors for your country on this programme, and its future depends on you,” said Charles Jr.

He added that the Jamaican Liaison Service continues to look for additional opportunities to expand the reach of the No One Left Behind Programme by encouraging employers to engage these individuals and support this initiative.

According to Charles Jr, his ministry is continuing its efforts to grow the Overseas Employment Programme by strengthening stakeholder relationships, continuously improving the offerings delivered by the liaison service, and securing additional protection to and opportunities for Jamaican farmworkers.

The ministry had previously announced that its long-serving Permanent Secretary Colette Roberts Risden has accepted a two-year assignment, beginning in early September 2024, to provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Overseas Employment Programme in Canada and the United States.

“This special assignment reflects the critical importance of the Overseas Employment Programmes to Jamaica’s labour force and the country’s international reputation. Permanent Secretary Roberts Risden was carefully selected for this role, having demonstrated exceptional leadership at the ministry for close to a decade. Her expertise, administrative acumen, and understanding of the programmes make her the ideal choice for this assignment,” the ministry said in a release on Tuesday.

In her new capacity, Roberts Risden will report directly to Charles Jr, with a primary focus on securing the future of the Overseas Employment Programme while expanding opportunities for Jamaican workers abroad. She will also address key administrative functions to enhance and strengthen Jamaica’s overall overseas employment policy.