When Life Give You Lemons You Make Lemonade… But This Is Not Lemon!
So today I had to travel into Kingston to pay my flow bill!
In this period of pandemic I would have preferred to pay using direct debit via the NCB/JN ATM but the debit card I have does not seem to be able to make the payment and or the Flow account number I submit always reads INVALID! I would like to use the online banking for NCB but even that is problematic.
In the Clock Tower Bargain Mall Flow store where I went to pay my bill today, though I tried several times to explain that I need to pay a bill and speak with customer services, after standing in line to pay my bill, the young man (Flow employee) asked me to rejoin the line! Okay, I won’t! As a result, this type of service, resurfaced pent up feelings of the already dissatisfied services that I and many others are experiencing.
Flow has been pawning inferior products and devalued services to the Jamaican people for far too long. I can state this because I have bought a lap-top from flow and that didn’t last for more than a year. I was forced to cancel my previous Cable and Wireless Broadband Account by the Clock Tower - Bargain Mall Team to accept a mobile account which has, due to its instability and poor performance have subsequently loss me online work!
Now I don’t often follow the news… it is far too depressing, well ironically I’m glued to the USA insurrection, however, Hon. Mr. Nigel Clarke, while I do commend your work in our government, I would urge you to consider that JA $10,000.00 to the Jamaican people is not a stimulus package at all In this economy. In fact, the loader men in any local town carry that home in less than a week. I am also very cognizant that while you and members of parliament are balancing pros and cons, many poor families are in dire need. The real vulnerable groups are being further disenfranchised and many families are literally hungry.
Today as I walked through Half Way Tree, I was almost overwhelmed with emotions, I have not been in the city from before the New Year and it was reminiscence of returning home in 2009. I found myself checking out everyone. The voluptuous, the spirited, the regulars, the man smoking a spliff, eating a food, waiting on a favorable coaster bus to down town, the dependable CXC, CSEC past paper stand, even the mentally ill playing foolhardy or so it seem. The whole experience was in truth exuberating, I felt like an uncaged bird.
Having said all that, I’m subjected to paying for utilities, some of which our government are about to privatize… and I am not sure if I am comfortable with this movement! Are we sure that we want our already poorly managed resources to be privatized by the few wealthy Jamaicans and their conglomerates? It is clear that we are being cheating by large companies such as Flow and Digicel… At least I can say JPS (Jamaica Public Service) made an effort to reduce our bills during the pandemic, but the telecommunication companies and the electronic companies as well as wholesales’ and even markets prices have been out of control!
Is there a regulatory body that considers what the effects are on the common folk of Jamaica? The Hon. Mr. Holness was hyped up in his Clarkes for the common Folks Vote the other day for a reelection and now the common folks are hungry! Whatever reasons; (and mind you am not political) but not many are voicing their desperate situations. The truth about that is, we Jamaicans are VERY PROUD! But is that an excuse to not ask more of our government?! I hear a lot about getting laptops and tablets to the vulnerable groups, but can children learn on hungry stomachs?
Hon. Mr. Nigel Clarke please come with a better stimulus package for the common folks, I implore you sir, as an artist and educator I have found the last year overwhelming; and despite the challenges; myself and many other artisans are still here and giving thanks to be alive and still giving.
Our Government, please tell the people, how you intend to assist us?
Why are we not able to access free covid testing?
How can you determine the spread, if there is no ongoing testing?
Is 16% vaccination enough to cover frontline workers and the elderly as well as other vulnerable Jamaicans? Somehow I feel this government displaying a sense of complacency. They mention not making money on JUTC, but no restrictions have been reinforced on private public transportations…? So them pack us like sardines same way!
Outside of some of the churches, who do freelance artists and others go to for help and support?
And finally the mental health clinics are seeing an overwhelming increase in numbers; are there any plans to address this?
I am simply asking questions and hope our caretakers of this lovely island Jamaica will provide us with some answers.
Kofi Walker
https://gogetfunding.com/home-renovations-for-the-elderly-in-rural-communities/
Well done for bringing attention to these issues. Privitisation is definitely not the panacea that so many in government would have you believe. Just look at Maggie Thatcher's privitisation of the UK's railways, telecommunications and public services as case in point. With all the good intentions in the world the ideology doesn't work because human greed will always muck things up. Sidebar; there's always a human cost when essential public goods and services are commoditised. It would be great to have your perspective on the impact these policies are having on the collective mental health of the nation.
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