Where do hotel workers go?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I HAVE lost my job, and I wish to express my concern that the Government of Jamaica does not seem to really care about the welfare of hotel workers. I am not qualified for the Cash Care stimulus package because my previous gross income is higher than the approved limit. I have zero income and zero assistance, and my bills are piling up. Like me, other employees have been put out to sea to swim or sink on our own.

Many of my co-workers are hoping that there is no discrepancy (messing about) with the records of our tax contributions. We pay taxes to help sustain this country, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, ain’t nothing we can get back. Kananapo! This is unreasonable and unfair. I would love to know if there is any intermediary who could act compassionately on our behalf to ensure that non-unionised contracted workers are reinstated in our jobs. This is a serious matter because dismissed workers are worried, wondering if our jobs are guaranteed. Jamaican people deserve better than this lack of compassion and consideration. We are facing a crisis from the deadly COVID-19. Bureaucrats are giving us added stress, which is also a killer.

DARK ANGEL

I also write to highlight the callousness meted out to customers of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS). The dark angel recently came knocking on my elderly mother’s door, announcing a bizarre and enormous JPS bill of $12,000. This was a sudden jump from the usual $7,000 my mother normally pays. Not so long ago, her bill regularly used to be $5,000. In our household, there are no children out of school hiking the use of electricity. I recently moved back home since I lost my job at a hotel that has been closed because of the virus. But I certainly do not use so much electricity to account for such a huge increase in the bill. My mother decided to go to the JPS office to query the matter urgently. She was told to pay $10,000 and was given a lame promise – JPS technicians will come and look at her meter when the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Whenever that is! They have taken my mother for a fool with such an insensitive and futile promise.

UNEMPLOYED HOTEL

WORKER