News/Sports

Police presence required as Job Seekers storm Hotel

Jobs are extremely hard to find in Jamaica nowadays and what transpired today at the Jamaica Grande hotel serves to show how desperate many persons are to obtain employment.

According to a report by Loop News, the police had to be called in to maintain order on Monday (September 1) as scores of people converged on the Jamaica Grande hotel in Ocho Rios in search of jobs during the refurbishing phase.

The 730-room hotel ceased operating as Sunset Jamaica Grande on Sunday and refurbishing work began Monday to upgrade the property to a five-star resort and reopening in early 2015 as Moon Palace Jamaica Grande.

many persons try to find jobs at hotel jamaica
Entrance to the Jamaica Grande Hotel – Credit : Loop Jamaica

Order was restored before too long but throughout the day many persons remained in vicinity of the property, hoping to hear some good news as it relates to work.

  

One woman, Colleen Taylor, said she has not worked for two years and went to the hotel in search of a job during the renovation phase.

“I am here because I heard Jamaica Grande would be taking on people (to work) so myself and my friend decide on coming down,” Taylor explained.

“I have been at home not working for the past two years and wanting some work, I decided to come and see if I can even get some of the clean-up work.

But now we approach the security and he’s telling us that we have to be certified.”

Ruel Boswell of Pimento Walk, near Ocho Rios, said he has not worked for the past six years and was hoping to get a job.

“But I can’t get the chance to talk to anybody. I don’t know how they organize these things,” Boswell stated. “For the past six years I haven’t stretched my hand to anybody to collect a dollar. So you can see what I’m going through.”

General manager Clifton Reader later explained that the contractors doing the renovation job are responsible for employing people for that aspect of the job, and not the hotel.

  

Source: Loop Jamaica

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