Minister Charles Jr. Spearheads Jamaica’s Advocacy at the Commonwealth Caribbean SAWP Annual Review

Kingston, Jamaica – Monday, November 6, 2023– The Honourable Pearnel Charles Jr., Minister of Labour and Social Security, departs today for the annual review meeting of the Commonwealth Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP), set to take place at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from November 7-10, 2023.

This pivotal meeting is a part of Minister Charles Jr.’s continued commitment to ensuring that the SAWP is mutually beneficial, advocating for the protection and promotion of the best interests and rights of Jamaican workers. The trip to Trinidad and Tobago follows a successful mission to Canada, where the Minister engaged with various stakeholders in the farmwork programme.

The annual review, a stipulation under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Jamaica and the Government of Canada, is a collaborative forum aimed at enhancing the operations of the SAWP and addressing key concerns such as employment contracts, worker recruitment, housing, safety, health, and workers’ rights.

As Jamaica takes centre stage at this regional event, Minister Charles Jr. will represent the nation’s vested interest in optimizing the programme. Supply countries, including Barbados, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, will join Canadian officials and employer groups in robust discussions.

The series of events will commence with an Opening Ceremony on November 7, followed by caucus sessions. Subsequent days will feature a Breakfast Meeting with Caribbean Ministers of Labour, plenary sessions with Canadian government officials and employers.

Minister Charles Jr.’s presence at the SAWP Annual Review underscores his and the Ministry’s dedication to safeguarding the welfare of Jamaican farmworkers abroad. His leadership in these discussions is expected to foster a strengthened and more transparent dialogue between the Caribbean supply countries and Canadian stakeholders.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, as the orchestrator of Jamaica’s participation, continues to serve as a beacon of advocacy for Jamaican labourers, upholding its reputation as the ‘People’s Ministry’ – a ministry committed to advancing the well-being of its citizens, at home and overseas.