Enmore workers receive severance but worry over lack of jobs remains

Some of the former workers gathered at the gate of the Enmore Estate as they waited to receive their severance payment yesterday afternoon.

Hundreds of ex-sugar workers yesterday began receiving severance payments at the Enmore Estate but while many were happy to finally receive their “hard earned money,” some were still grappling with their anxieties from not having jobs.

The former workers, armed with umbrellas and other makeshift forms of shelter from the sun, lined up in front of the gate of the estate yesterday afternoon and patiently waited to be called to the payment office to receive their payment.

The distribution of cheques started at 2 pm and many of the former workers dubbed the process unorganised. “From what it looking like, is like they taking a whole 10 minutes just to give one person dey money. Watch how many of we out here. At least they coulda call we and tell we who to come but everybody show up and they got we waiting in lines. Obviously they not going to go all night and some of we got to go home,” one of the ex-workers said.