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Help! We are suffering - Jamaican farm workers cry for aid
André Williams, STAR Writer
A Jamaican farm worker living in the 'Big Apple' is extremely upset and dissatisfied with the manner and pace at which he claims the Jamaican consulate is addressing burning concerns.
Delroy Sutherland said he was sent to a country on a work programme to better his living conditions and way of life, only to realise the total opposite. He said there is lack of representation from the state agency responsible for placement.
THE STAR was recently contacted via telephone by Sutherland, who works in upstate New York. Sutherland claims that farm workers are cheated out of millions of dollars per year.
He is complaining that people from other countries are being properly represented by their relevant agency, while Jamaicans are left to suffer.
Sutherland also expressed his concern for those Jamaicans who are lined up to travel to foreign countries as farm workers in the near future. He said, "We need representation from our government and we nah get that, we not seeing anybody".
rights group
THE STAR understands Sutherland has been working as a farm worker in the US since 2007. He is to return to Jamaica later this year and he told our news team, "I can't wait to come home because I will not be coming back, we deh a foreign and is like we living in a pigpen".
He continued, "Do you know how much money I send to Jamaica in remittance, giving back to my country and dem nah represent us, we are humans too".
Sutherland is also a spokesperson for a rights group 'Farm Workers for Justice Program', which comprises Jamaicans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Trinidadians.
Some of the more pressing concerns highlighted by Sutherland are that minimum wages are low, they have no rights, living conditions are deplorable and workers are being abused.
"Imagine working for 170 hours in overtime for the month and can't collect for it...we are not being paid," Sutherland said.
THE STAR understands that the farm workers in this particular case, work in the fields picking and cultivating apples, tomatoes and other crops.
no compensation
Sutherland says he knows of instances where workers become sick from chemicals among other substances used while working, and are offered no compensation.
Our news team was told that a protest was conducted last week as farmer took to the streets of New York City to demonstrate and have their concerns aired. It is understood that many farm workers took to WBAI radio and voiced their concerns.
Sutherland felt farm workers were compelled to demonstrate because if they directed their concerns to their employers or try to form a workers' union, they would be fired.
When THE STAR contacted the Ministry of Labour we were told by a representative that they had no knowledge of such complaints from Jamaican farm workers.
The source continued, "The ministry has liaison offices in NY to handle any complaints or problems. These persons are in place and are equipped to deal with all matters even before the worker gets to the state and during the length of the farm work. The liaison office is different from the Jamaican consulate. We were having issues with the office but still maintain our liaison support for the workers".
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