There are jitters among workers in the tourism sector that a premature reopening of the industry which has been in hibernation since the coronavirus pandemic reached local shores could be catastrophic, but they admit that they don’t know how they would survive another month without an income.
Their concerns stem from the call by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association for a clear indication by Government of a reopening timeline of the country’s borders and the resumption of the industry by latest June 30.
When I watch television, I don’t see that everybody is taking precautions,” Joan Harvey*, a massage therapist who has been working in the sector for more than 15 years, told The Sunday Gleaner.
Having spent the last 10 years in the industry, the bartender said her tourism earnings have helped her to build a home and provide her children with an education.
Unlike the four people who work directly in the industry, Diane, a jerk chicken vendor who operates along the Second City’s famed Hip Strip, is not as worried – “The Lord will keep me safe” – although admitting that she has seen a 95 per cent dip in business.
