‘Dangerous’ destination? - Senator Crawford warns Ja to brace for COVID whirlwind in tourism sector
Published:Saturday | May 2, 2020 | 12:19 AMRomario Scott/Gleaner Writer
Opposition Senator Damion Crawford yesterday told the Senate that Jamaica might be on a blacklist if Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ pronouncement that most of the population could eventually contract COVID-19 holds true.
Crawford, who was making his contribution to the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme debate yesterday, argued that the tourism sector might not recover until June 2021, according to his best-case projection.
He argued that the country’s tourism sector could only reopen if the generating market perceived that it was safe to travel to Jamaica.
“That made me very anxious, because if it is that we may all catch it then the longevity of COVID-19 being with us suggests that the host destination, meaning Jamaica, in the perception of the tourist, will be dangerous.
“And at that time, how can a hotel reopen or how can it take on all its workers when we might be on a blacklist, if we don’t get quickly to a point where we have control over this COVID in our country, because no country will send its visitors to a place that has high infection rates,” Crawford contended.
The tourism sector has virtually been locked down as the air and seaports have been closed to incoming passengers.
The situation has forced more than 130,000 workers in the sector to be laid off as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the island.
Crawford further argued that when the industry reopens, there would be fierce competition as countries seek to bounce back from the massive shock arising from the impact of COVID-19.
The Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme is in keeping with the Government’s focus on creating a social security network within the sector.
The scheme is a defined contributory plan supported by legislation and will require mandatory contributions by workers and employers.
It will cover all workers in the tourism sector, aged 18 to 59, whether permanent, contractual or self-employed. These include hotel workers as well as people employed in related industries, such as craft vendors, tour operators, red cap porters, contract carriage operators, and workers at attractions.
Benefits will be payable at age 65 years or older, to individuals who have met the vested period of five years.