SINCE January, some 194 farm workers have gone to farms in Ontario and Alberta in Canada to do seasonal agricultural work, said a recent statement from the Ministry of Labour, facilitator of this programme.
The ministry said the opportunities afforded to these workers were noteworthy because this programme, like many others, was adversely affected by the covid19 pandemic in March 2020.
Minister of Labour Stephen Mc Clashie lauded the programme, saying how pleased the ministry was to continue facilitating the process of sending seasonal workers to Canada.
"It is part of our programme of expansion and we are looking to significantly increase the number of Trinidad and Tobago nationals who can access the farm programme. The ministry is working hand in hand with the Canadian agencies in making this a reality.
"Within a few months, you will see even more people accessing this programme and it is our intention to expand significantly over the next two-three years.”
Chief manpower officer Eric Poliah said TT nationals have been travelling to take up employment via this Commonwealth Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Programme (CCSAWP) since 1967. He said over the years, these opportunities have made it possible for TT nationals to support themselves and their families, educate their children and build their homes, and the programme continued to be a mutually beneficial partnership between the governments of TT and Canada.
Poliah said despite the challenges of the pandemic, the ministry's Farm Programme Unit remained committed to preparing nationals and facilitating their employment.
The statement related the experiences of two seasonal workers.
Steven Williams, who is working as a bee-keeper on Yaremcio Honey Farm in Alberta for the fourth consecutive time since his enrolment in 2019, said he has been exposed to possibilities he never expected. such as a career in bee-keeping, a field he had no prior knowledge of and aspires to apply his skills in TT someday.
"There are ups and downs, and leaving your family is the hardest part, but I enjoy what I do a lot.”
His advice for those interested in enrolling in the Farm Programme was,"It is a serious commitment and hard work”.
Frances Ganness, who was placed on Schuyler’s Farm for apple-picking, has been employed seasonally over the last eight years. She said the programme lets her support her ailing daughter and grandchildren and provides funding for the small business she opened for her daughter.
She advised, "It is up to you to make it work. I’m always on time and I do my work, and due to that the farmer requested for me to return.”
She commended the ministry's Farm Programme Unit, saying the staff were very supportive and tell workers what to expect and what not to do. Ganness advised, "Be early and stay out of trouble.”
The ministry said through its Farm Programme Unit, it remains committed to provide job options for citizens in the Seasonal Work Programme in Canada so as to improve the quality of their lives.
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