KINGSTON, Jamaica — A batch of 223 farm workers will depart the island today for various provinces in Canada, under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP).

Of the number, 200 will travel to Ontario, 12 to New Brunswick, three to Quebec and eight to British Columbia, where they will be engaged in harvesting apples, peaches, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, as well as vegetables like cucumber and squash.

They join a group of 95, who departed the island on Tuesday  for Toronto.

Addressing the official send-off ceremony at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Overseas Employment Centre in Kingston on Tuesday, portfolio Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr, said the continued success of SAWP underscores the high level of trust by the Canadian employees in the professionalism and productivity of Jamaican workers.

He said the Governments of Jamaica and Canada have been in dialogue to ensure that conditions are at a decent standard for the workers.

“We were able to tackle some of the issues in terms of the environment where the farm workers were living and working. Not everything has been solved but we have done a good job in improving [these conditions]… .  Get in touch with us and let us know so that we can continue to tackle the issues… ; you have the right to be in a suitable working environment,” he told the workers.

Charles Jr noted that since the start of the year 5,434 workers have been placed in Canada and the United States under the Ministry’s Overseas Employment Programme.

Of the total, 3,777 or 70 per cent of the workers have gone to Canada, and 1,657 to the US.

“This programme is of tremendous benefit for our workers, their families and the country. It assists tremendously with the alleviation of high unemployment, particularly for persons in rural Jamaica,” the minister noted.

Subrina Richards, who has been participating in the Canadian SAWP for three years, told JIS News that the programme has improved the financial situation of her family and paved the way for other opportunities.

“I would encourage persons to apply for the programme and experience what it is all about. It is not an easy task, but when you go and do your best it will work out,” she said.

Nineteen-year veteran of the programme, Cavel Wynter, who will be returning to Ontario, said that through the programme, he has been able to support his family and achieve his goals.

“It has been good. I have achieved some things that I could not before like having a piece of land, building a house and sending my children to school,” he told JIS News.

–         JIS