By Adrian Frater, News EditorWESTERN BUREAU:
THE 37-YEAR-OLD farm work scheme - Caribbean/Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme - is being threatened by the number of workers who abscond upon entering the North American country and by an influx of unprepared workers who attempt to contaminate the programme with illegal drugs.
"We are finding that some of the workers are not properly prepared, and this significantly reduces their effectiveness when they get to Canada," said Claudio Valle, Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica.
ABSENTEEISM
"In addition, we have the problem of workers going AWOL (absent without leave), and for the first time this year, we had some workers caught trying to smuggle drugs into Canada."
Of 5,500 workers who went to Canada last year, 149 absconded, said Commissioner Valle, who attended Monday's opening ceremony for the Annual Review Meeting of the farm work programme, in Montego Bay.
While expressing concerns about the number of Jamaicans who have abandoned the programme, Ontario farmer Gary Cooper, who serves on the administrative board that oversees the project, said the programme, which is now operating in eight of the 10 provinces in Canada, was a big success in his estimation.
A SUCCESS
"The programme is definitely a success and we find the Jamaican workers to be as good as workers from anywhere else," Mr. Cooper said. He noted that the number of Jamaicans involved in the programme had increased by 6.5 per cent this year. "The only concern of note is that Jamaica has the highest percentage of workers going AWOL," Mr. Cooper stated.
In outlining the purpose for the annual review meeting, Mr. Valle said it was slated to address crucial matters such as the terms and conditions under which workers are expected to operate, matters relating to the contract of the workers as well as outline concerns about the readiness of some of the workers selected for the programme.
STRIVING FOR IMPROVEMENT
"While we are very satisfied with the general performance of the Jamaican workers, we are nonetheless striving for improvements wherever possible. Our aim is to get the most suitable people involved in the project and that is the type of message we try to convey at these review meetings," the High Commissioner said.
The Jamaican workers, who have been involved in the farm work programme, are involved in both the planting and reaping of crops. According to Mr. Cooper, one of the most pleasing features about the Jamaican workers is their ability to deal with the conditions in Canada.
