Young: Flights bringing farm workers home from Canada

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young said on Tuesday said arrangements are being made for Trinidad and Tobago nationals who went to Canada to work on farms to return home because of the covid19 pandemic.

He added, "We have repatriated some workers on two flights from Canada already.

"Today there is a dedicated CAL (Caribbean Airlines) flight from Canada to repatriate the workers. This flight was specifically for farm workers to come home."

But Young said he was told some workers had chosen to stay in Canada "even though they were granted approval to come home."

He added that Government has also dedicated state quarantine facilities for the returning workers.

In a statement issued by his ministry, Young explained there were two categories of nationals who went to Canada to work on farms, some who were in Canada when TT's borders were closed on March 22, and those who went to Canada after the borders were closed "in their hundreds."

Young said the latter workers were warned that if the borders were still closed when they wished to return, they would be subject to the Government’s existing border management policies.

"They signed agreements agreeing to be bound by this and also acknowledging the risk they were taking."

But, he said, "Nevertheless, as soon as these workers finished working in Canada they demanded to return."

Government has been working with the Canadian govermment to facilitate these nationals and has been repatriating them, he said.

"We are now dedicating flights and facilities for these workers to return to TT. It is to be noted that over 90 nationals have indicated that they wish to stay in Canada even though we are making arrangements for their return to TT."

A report on the Globe and Mail Canada website last week highlighted three TT seasonal workers employed at a vegetable farm in Holland Marsh, Canada, who wanted to know when they would be able to return home. They were named as Rudy Ramroop, Ricardo Sookhoo and Brendon Thompson.