Jaevion Nelson | Establish livable, decent wages

I keep wondering how we expect people to become prosperous and fi stop beg wi a ting and nuh depen pan Government fi handout if what wi pay dem can barely stretch to di next pay cheque. I keep wondering how we expect them to take care of themselves if they have nothing.

It's amazing how many Jamaicans are poor and how many of us are silent about the deplorable conditions people are forced to live and work in. Is it that the 'ideal' is only for some of us because we are somehow 'deserving', and the rest must be tortured by the painfulness of not having enough to be content?

Are we not bothered by the alarming number of young men and women whose only hope is to escape the hardship here to have a better life anyweh but yah so? Dat nah mek you feel a way?

Earlier this week, I saw a clip of a man who claims he is from 'Back To' (Majesty Gardens) and who is working on one of the many sites for roadworks across the city. He bemoans that he earns just about US$20 (J$2,500) per day. To many of us, that's a lot - he's earning more than minimum wage, and, of course, he must count his blessings because it coulda worse. From what he was saying, it was clear that he understood that he deserved better.

Why are we all so silent about the conditions under which people are expected to work? Low wages, long working hours, no benefits, little to no recourse for redress, no tools, and on top of all a dat, supervisors, managers and bosses who are cruel and have no interest in your welfare. There are too many of these stories. How can we be comfortable about this unjust reality? How can we sit and do nothing?

Sometimes, life in Jamaica feels like a laundry list of endless problems that no matter how much you complain or talk about them, never change. If you are lucky, you get a promise like an increase in minimum wage to woo you and/or silence your disquiet.

I'm always amazed by the shock people express when they are told how much people are making and the difficulty they face to cover all their expenses, including going to and from work daily. It's not a secret that people are not making a decent salary, and increasingly, having a degree does not seem to set you well above those you went to high school with who didn't matriculate further.

Defence of the poor

I got into a heated debate (again) the other day defending poor people against some people who think it's time for poor people to become independent. The argument came about because some folks believe the Government should evict the poor people who are squatting in the building across from Gordon House. Nothing is more preposterous!

The Government has obligations to the poor and vulnerable citizens. If a significant number of the population are unemployed, classified as poor and barely earning a salary that can stretch to the next pay day, it is unconscionable to think they will ever be able to build or buy a 'decent' place for habitation.

The Government has a responsibility, and we cannot keep pretending they don't. We need a programme for social housing. If the Government does not do this, people will find idle lands and buildings to occupy or on which to make a shack.

It's rather unfortunate that so little is being done to disrupt the status quo and ensure an improvement in the livelihood and well-being of the vast majority of citizens.

We cannot continue to be comfortable with only a few of us benefiting while the majority suffer. Let's take action. Increasing the minimum wage, as was promised in 2016, is a good start.

- Jaevion Nelson is a human-rights and economic and social-justice advocate. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and jaevion@gmail.com.