A Filipino farm worker who died after creating a “makeshift” fire in his cabin to keep warm was not considered a victim of modern-day slavery, an inquest has heard – despite questions being raised about accommodation checks under Jersey’s work-permit system.
George Michael Monte De Ramos Castrudes suffered “significant hypoxic brain damage” after lighting a fire in his work lodgings at La Valette Nurseries in Grouville on 19 January 2025.
The 37-year-old was midway through his fourth season on the farm at the time of his death, sharing an on-site timber-frame cabin with co-worker Adrian Aquino.
On the third day of an inquest into Mr Castrudes’ death, senior manager at Jersey Customs and Immigration Service Andrew Allan was asked directly by Advocate George Pearce, representing La Valette Nurseries, whether the department perceived the farm worker to have been the “subject of modern-day slavery”.
“No, no,” he responded. “As far as I can see, Mr Castrudes was paid the appropriate amount, he worked the appropriate hours, he came four years in a row.
“I believe it would be unusual, to our mind, that somebody would come back to a modern-day slavery situation.
“We often get complaints about contracts and disputes between employers and employees – that is slightly different to something like modern slavery.”
The inquest heard that prior to the fire, Mr Castrudes had made no official complaints to his recruitment agency, employer or the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service.
“The onus is principally upon the employer”
Mr Allan said Jersey’s work-permit policy has “measures in place to limit the risk of exploitation”, referring to “high levels of requirements” for employers, including “due consideration to the welfare of their employers inside and outside of work”.
A section of the policy states that “all employees relocating to Jersey live in accommodation of a standard that supports their health and wellbeing”.
Work permits are granted only by the Home Affairs Minister on the expectation that reasonable steps be taken by employers to ensure employees are “suitably accommodated”.
Employers must confirm they will “abide” by accommodation conditions on a “final declaration page”, while employees are required to undertake “research before accepting their role in Jersey so they can understand travel, accommodation and living costs”.
However, the inquest heard that no “systemic checks” were in place to uncover breaches in work-permit policy.
When Deputy Viscount Matt Berry asked how it was determined that a worker was suitably accommodated, Mr Allan replied: “The onus is principally upon the employer. It is a reactive system.
“For work-permit holders, there isn’t an upfront checking system. It is very much, if issues are brought to our attention, we highlight those to the relevant agency.
“Effectively, the employer is signing that they confirm they will put the measures in place; the onus is on the employer to make sure they’re in place.”
He added that enforcement depended “on the level of the breach”.
“If it’s a breach of immigration law, then it could be taken to a criminal level, as we’ve recently seen in the courts,” said Mr Allan.
“But most times we deal with issues administratively. So, the example might be the employer – if we felt they were breaching work-permit policy, we would allow their employees to move to a different employer, and refuse to issue them with any further work permits.”
Mr Allan said the department had received only a “handful” of housing-related complaints, noting a sharp rise in work permits issued – from 300 a year to approximately 3,500.
“We have made changes in order to try and reinforce safeguarding elements of work-permit policy,” he said.
While acknowledging that some workers may avoid raising issues due to a “concern that they would feel that they might in some way compromise their job”, he stressed: “If their complaints are genuine, it will not compromise in any way their immigration status.”
“The return rate of Filipino farm workers is 90%”
Executive secretary of the Jersey Farmers’ Union Jane Rueb also pointed to high return rates among Filipino workers as evidence of positive conditions.
“We have got a very good return rate: if they don’t come back it is usually because family circumstances may have changed, they may have decided to work elsewhere – it’s happened a few times if they’ve got family working in a different part of the world.”
She added: “In 2025, agriculture will have employed over 300 Filipino workers… The return rate of Filipino farmworkers is 90%.
“[A] community has built up over the last six years, with siblings, cousins and friends all coming to work in Jersey.”
Describing Filipino workers as a “valued part of Jersey’s farming community”, Ms Rueb said the union were “deeply saddened” by Mr Castrudes’ death and “extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues”.
Echoing Mr Allan, she said responsibility for welfare lies “with the employer”, although the JFU assists with recruitment.
“Some employees may be timid about going to employers with concerns – in those instances, we encourage them to speak to agency representatives in the UK,” she said.
Ms Rueb told the inquest that farm accommodation is covered by “government provisions” and “independent audits such as LEAF, Red Tractor and BRC”.
She added that cabin-style accommodation was increasingly being phased out in favour of “purpose-built” housing.
“If anyone does have people living in cabins, for example, they will try and move their employees into purpose-built accommodation. That type of accommodation is gradually being phased out across the industry,” said Ms Rueb.
“I can assure you, the largest farm in the island has just taken over a hotel and all their Filipino workers will be accommodated in that hotel.”
The inquest is expected to conclude today.
