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In the midst of recent protests by hotel staff in Jamaica, MP candidate
for NE St Ann has weighed in on the demonstrations. To justify his
claim, Dr Simpson has stated that at the current calculation, essential
workers in Jamaica’s hotels earn approximately US$2 per hour. He
states that a 100% increase would put them under US$5 per hour,
significantly less than the American minimum wage.

Dr. Simpson says that Jamaica earned US$4 billion last year
according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett. Dr. Simpson says
Jamaica’s cost of living is rivaling that of the United States and this
puts pressure on Jamaican hotel workers and their households. He
added that Jamaicans’ electricity bills have skyrocketed since the
passing of Hurricane Beryl. He further states that transportation costs
for the hotel staff in his constituency are high for the ones living in
rural communities.