Labour Ministry, police going after farm work tricksters

The Ministry of Labour is working alongside the police to nab tricksters who are alleged to be targeting the overseas farm work programme.

In a release, the ministry said both entities have joined forces and will be co-operating to tackle illegal and unethical activities relating to the overseas employment programmes to the United States and Canada.

The ministry said it has received reports that unscrupulous persons, pretending to be agents of the ministry, have been collecting money from members of the public for promised placement in the overseas employment farm work programmes.

During a meeting on Thursday, representatives of the Fraud Squad and the ministry explored various options to reduce the incidence of swindling by persons purporting to be agents of the ministry.

Among the strategies that were identified were:

•             An enhanced public education campaign, including print and electronic advertising.

•             The posting of information and guidelines through the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) island-wide communication channels

•             The sharing of statistical information to identify ‘hot spots’ for targeted intervention.

The ministry said recruitment for the annual overseas employment programme is usually announced by the ministry, and took the opportunity to remind members of the public that participation in the programme is entirely free of charge, and no money should be paid to anyone for access to the programme.

It is urging persons who have been approached and offered placement in the ministry’s overseas employment programmes for a fee, to immediately report the matter to the nearest police station or the ministry.

Members of the public are also being advised not to hand over their passports to anyone in a bid to access the farm work programme.

The ministry also indicated that any person found to be engaging in conspiracy or collusion to illegally gain access to the ministry’s overseas employment programmes will be permanently barred from accessing the programmes.