Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
From left, Stephanie Stewart of South Side, downtown Kingston; Jerardo Stewart and Glasford Barracks, both of Denham Town. Stephanie wants to become a public relations manager, Jerardo a computer technician and Glasford, an executive chef. They are all part of the Couples Resorts 2007 Inner-city Initiative project. Contributed
WESTERN BUREAU:
A box of facial tissue sat in the middle of the large mahogany table ready to wipe the tears that flowed freely in the Couples Swept Away Negril boardroom last Tuesday morning
These tears were given free rein by all persons in the room as all experienced the mixture of pain, hope and joy that five inner-city youths related after three months of extensive training in front-office operations, reservations, customer service, and food and beverage at the various hotels in the Couples Resorts chain.
The five, Glasford Barracks, Stephanie Stewart, Jerardo Stewart, Venesice Harris and Rosemarie Fort, from garrison communities in downtown Kingston, have been living tomorrow's promise for 90 days while enrolled in the resorts' inner-city 2007 initiative.
"Their progress to date has been excellent; reports from their department heads speak to their exemplary behaviour," said a beaming Rose Wright, group human-resources director.
Speaking like a proud mother who had just received her children's end-of-year school report, Wright said: "Many cannot believe that they have fitted in so well."
Beacons
"They take instructions well, are willing to assist and are beacons of a programme that will change many lives."
The programme is the brainchild of the chain's chief executive officer, Glenn Lawrence, who told The Sunday Gleaner that after years of involvement with Village United Football Club, he would go into Arnett Gardents and Tivoli Gardens for games, and what he saw tore at his inner core.
"It is as if the youths in these communities are stuck in the wilderness, with no way out," he explained.
Of course, when he told some persons he planned on implementing the programme, the response was as expected - shock - because both communities have been labelled among the most violent in Jamaica.
Lawrence's initiative will give the opportunity for change to 20 inner-city youths who will be employed in the chain's four resorts - Couples Swept Away Negril, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Ocho Rios and Couples Negril.
New perspective on life
The Couples CEO said the initiative has given the beneficiaries another perspective of their fellow Jamaicans, overseas visitors and most important, themselves. "For instance, now they know not all white people are rich; they know many of them have to save for years to pay for their vacation."
Lawrence's initiative has been welcomed by the five, who said their lives were in limbo because of their addresses; they never received responses to job applications.
"In the inner city, tomorrow is not promised to you. Being here now, I think tomorrow is now a promise to me," states 18-year-old Glasford Barracks of Denham Town, who, at the start of the interview, broke down and cried.
"Yeah, I am so nervous; I never dreamt of working in the hotel industry," were the first words that came out of his mouth.
Having left several friends in the inner city who he said wished they were in his shoes, he is extremely grateful for the opportunity, which would make him more of a man: "I never looked on life as if there was another day. I would never see someone on the street and introduce myself; I would never say hello."
Today, the 18-year-old, whose career goal is to become an executive sous chef, said that in 90 days, he has learned to cook Mexican and Italian dishes, among others.
With the general election just weeks away, the five have praised Couples for their intervention in getting them out of the volatile communities. "You just don't know what is going to happen," they all said in unison.
The three women in the group said with pregnancy almost a part of life in the ghetto, their parents and teachers were their strength.
Given a foundation
"We were provided with foundations that will carry us throughout this world."
Accordingly, they say the majority of the people in the inner city are good. "They only need to be given a chance. We are not saying all are angels, but there are some great people in our communities."
Twenty-two-year-old Stephanie Stewart's attitude towards the job has already been praised by guests who have commended her on the customer service questionnaire. She said she was overwhelmed when selected by the resort. "I felt I was very special."
Three months in the hotel environment has changed even her tone of voice, she said: "I used to be so brawling, spoke loudly; but all that has changed. No more brawling behaviour," she boasted.
In the same breath, she begs earnestly for persons and businesses to "give other inner-city youths a chance. We don't want handouts. Give us a rod and teach us to fish. Implement some programmes, put in some youth clubs. We are tired of promises from politicians."
We don't want trouble
The five said they live by the words from the song, Wrong Address by Etana, which says, "We nuh wah nuh trouble, we nuh wah nuh trouble yeah."
"When I watch that video and listen to the lyrics, it is exactly what we in the inner city are going through," said Venesice Harris.
"We are being shot at and being slaughtered with one paint brush and that is not so," inserted Stephanie Stewart.
As for Jerardo Stewart and Rosemarie Forth, life now couldn't be better. "Before I enrolled in this programme, smiling was never even a part of my facial expression," Jerardo Stewart recounted.
He said being tough and looking hard were his means of survival.
The Denham Town resident said the programme has completely changed his life. "Basically, before this, there was nothing much, there wasn't really a future. Now I can work as a bartender, I can work as a waiter. It's been lovely."
Barracks, Fort, Harris and both Stewarts said they can't wait for Monday morning when they become casual workers and the word 'trainee' is removed from their name tags.
janet.sinclair@gleanerjm.com
