The co-owner of a Nova Scotia farm says about two dozen Jamaican workers they employ have flown back home not knowing what to expect after Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impacts.
Jamaican workers on their way to the airport from Spurr Brothers Farm Photo: Spurr Brothers Farm/Facebook
The storm barreled into the Caribbean, Tuesday, as a catastrophic Category 5 – the strongest hurricane to hit the island in over 170 years.
Lisa Jenereaux tells our newsroom, of the 30 foreign workers Spurr Brothers Farm employs, 23 are from Jamaica.
Eighteen have gone back, with five still waiting, and everyone is on edge.
“Many of my crew have not even heard from family and friends, so they still don’t even know if their families are safe…whether they have a home,” says Jenereaux.
She says, how bad the damage is, depends on what side of the island you are on, but no matter where you are, there is going to be a lot of work to do to get lives back to normal.
Hard workers
Jenereaux says every year they have people from Jamaica come work for them on a seasonal basis.
Some arrive in March, some in the end of July, but she says everyone works so hard to provide a better life for their family while making an impact here in our province.
“They are keeping farming alive in Nova Scotia. Without them, we would not have the farming that we do with fruits and vegetables,” adds Jenereaux.
Photo: GoFundMe
Fundraiser
Jenereaux and two other farmer friends have created a GoFundMe after many have asked how they can help.
“Even a few dollars would help if many people did it. It just adds up very quickly. Do what you can to support Jamaican workers because they are basically providing our food,” explains Jenereaux.
The fundraiser has already brought in over $25,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
