The Editor, Sir:

I could not help but be amused while I watched TVJ's newscast on Monday night and saw the report about the many residents of St Ann turning up at the Gran Bahía Príncipe hotel demanding jobs, simply because, by coincidence, they lived in proximity to the hotel. When is proximity a cardinal criterion for employment?

Whether or not their accusation is true about the hotel employing foreign workers, it is something that should be analysed, but I will take this from another angle. Locals have poor work ethic: usually they are not punctual and bring in unions to shut down the site when unreasonable demands are not satisfied. They lock down the site and demand more pay, simply because they have 10 children to go to school and their pay is not sufficient to meet their demands. They are often of the mistaken view that their financial needs must determine what they are paid rather than being paid what the job is worth.

Simply put, the locals can be a liability to a project. Foreign investors are here at the invitation of the government and here with a purpose. They don't have time for persons who are a liabi-lity to their viability.

Foreign workers bring a totally different work ethic to the project - their entire attitude to work demonstrates appreciation and respect towards their employer and Jamaica on a whole.

Jamaicans in this situation feel that they have an unfettered right to a job because they happen to be living close by. On second thought, though, they have a right to feel that way as their voice is given support by politicians who turn up telling them that they will meet with project manager to see if work can be provided. Funny how politics can take various forms.

Demanding jobs

Jamaica must be the most enviable place on Earth. Here, we don't apply for jobs, we simply demand them, not because we have the qualifications and skill, but simply because of proximity. So, persons living on East Kings House Road should follow by demanding a job at Jamaica House or King's House and those near Fletchers Land should demand a seat in Gordon House. I've got an idea. Tomorrow morning bright and early, I will wake my neighbours and we will all go by the United States (US) Embassy and demand a job in front of TVJ's cameras and look out for our member of parliament to come join us and take up our cause with the US ambassador.

I am etc.,

Garfield Whyte

Attorney-at-law

Kingston 6