Old Pera draws blank on jobs
Published:Monday | November 15, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Laura Redpath, Senior Gleaner Writer
Deirdre-Ann Donaldson laments her joblessness over the slam of dominoes in the rural St Thomas community of Old Pera.
Donaldson, 20, originally intended to go straight on to Excelsior Community College to study tourism and hospitality after earning six Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate passes.
"I did my medical and everything. But when it came down to the nitty-gritty, I had to defer until next year because of lack of funds.
"The plan was to get a job and save some more for next year, but I can't seem to get a job so far," Donaldson told The Gleaner.
Ilene Markland was one of the residents playing dominoes.
"It's a very peaceful community," she said, checking out her 'hand'. "We don't have any violence. We nuh have robbery but we need work and we need employment.
"Even wid dah likkle shop," she said of the building she was sitting outside of, "you can't sell $500 worth because nobody not buying anything."
Kenneth Burke cultivates melons and bananas to be sold in and around the community as well as the market in Morant Bay.
He said all that was left for Old Pera, which has its own primary school and public beach, is self-employment.
"All o' we haffi gather 'round and make a likkle payday fi we self. Right now, in the likkle bush place, a one and two o' we haffi go ova deh and mek a likkle garden and all them kinda thing. A no fi we place but the land just lay down and so we do.
"A couple farmer lost them crop since Nicole, but even with storms worse than Nicole, we don't get any attention," Burke said.
His voice became stronger and louder, noting that politicians only visited the community when elections were around the corner.
"(They) just drive around and make two talk and we nuh see them again till election time come and they walk from house-to-house and shake hand. We tired o' dem t'ing deh," Burke said.
Community going backward
Neville Talbot is a mason in Old Pera, who struggles to earn a living in this community of almost 1,600 persons. He said he has to travel outside his community regularly to seek jobs.
"We just play some dominoes and poker with the ladies. You have two teachers down the road wha' employ because there is a likkle school down the road.
"We need more attention to be paid to this community. Eastern St Thomas is going backward, it is not going forward," he said.
Clement Batiste, parish governance coordinator for the St Thomas branch of the Social Development Commission, said he doesn't like the word 'unemployment' when speaking of Old Pera.
"Everybody there has a chance at something. They might just need encouragement," he said, referring to agriculture as a source of income.
However, the clamour is increasing for jobs outside agriculture, and Donaldson insisted that her community has potential.
"We have a heritage site and lots of beaches along the coastline," she said. "I think there is potential for tourism. I have to get a job first but my real dream is to (build) a hotel in my community and a retreat for the elderly," she said.