Portrait of the urban poor

BEACHES ARE closed this holiday weekend, which is one of the measures taken by the Government to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Let us declare at the outset that, based on examples from other countries, it is a wise decision to discourage mass gatherings and to ensure that social-distancing guidelines are followed by the population. From all indications, many Jamaicans continue to defy these orders and are gathering in dangerous fashion. So there is a sense that the Government has to do more to get people to understand the seriousness of this health crisis and the possible effects of this highly contagious disease.

In ordinary times, the Easter holidays would see scores of Jamaicans flock our gorgeous beaches to swim, eat, and frolic. It is fun and an inexpensive way to enjoy themselves. But these are not ordinary times, and we believe the Government has made the right decision.

But where does that leave the people who yearn for entertainment that will supply them with the feel-good factor? Most places of entertainment are already shuttered amid nightly curfews, so people have to stay in their homes.

Some people have adopted well to staying home by finding interesting things to do, including gardening, craft projects, spring cleaning, and other pursuits. If one has an Internet connection, it may be easier to find entertainment on cable; sports enthusiasts may watch reruns, and others may play video games. However, there are many people who are not connected and cannot afford to meet the monthly payments.

There is nothing like a crisis to offer us hard lessons, and the current coronavirus pandemic is no exception. One of the hard lessons Jamaicans are learning is the difficult circumstances of the urban poor. It was on full display when a group of inner-city youth explained to the media why they preferred to be on the streets rather than cooped up in their houses. Their homes were crammed, hot, and uncomfortable, with nothing to do on the inside.

HARD LESSON

The hard lesson learnt is that there are just too many families in our fair island that are barely existing. They have no savings, indeed, no surplus, and live virtually from day to day. Indeed, with many people usually living in one room, they don’t even have space to store extras, like groceries. We refer particularly to the days’ workers with limited skills. Many people are hurting in this lockdown because COVID-19 simply widens the socio-economic divide in the country.

The challenge for our political and social leaders is how these persons can be helped so that their children can break the cycle and escape a life of depravation after COVID-19.

There is already the Government’s PATH programme to help vulnerable families, and we applaud the oneoff COVID-19 assistance currently being offered. However, beyond that, we see the urgent need for greater consideration to be given to marginal households so they can climb out of their current circumstances.

Assistance may take the form of subsidies where needed, loans where feasible, and charity where necessary. For example, are employers willing to offer their household helpers at least a portion of their pay while they remain at home during this crisis?

With so much time on our hands during these unprecedented stay-at-home days, let’s spare a thought for the urban poor who live and walk among us.