Security guards are usually ‘just following instructions’

“It is not easy being a security guard in this country right now, especially since people have to show the COVID vaccine card. Is like you become a enemy to people. Especially seeing that we is female — and for me as a female — it really hard out there,” said a single mother of four who works as a security guard in the city.

Recently there was an altercation at the Water Street location of the Republic Bank between a security guard and a woman with a young child. In a video of part of the incident, the security guard (a woman) appeared to be pushing the woman who had one foot inside the bank’s door. Reports are that the woman had a young child in her arms, who fell to the ground when she was pushed. An investigation has been launched. If indeed the woman was pushed while the child was in her arms that is inexcusable. But an investigation cannot be carried out here, so it is up to the relevant authority to do so. I believe a police report would be prudent.

Following this incident and the scathing condemnation of the guard, especially on social media, this sister reached out to me to share her experience as a guard in the city.

“I don’t know wah happen with the guard and the woman because I was not there but I can tell you is not easy fuh we out there. People does behave like is we mek this rule and that we doing wha we want but we have to follow the rule,” she told me.

“One time I ask a man fuh he card before going to do he business. He guh turn and ask me if I get me vaccination card. I just had to turn and tell he, ‘Sir this is the company rules and I have to follow it.’

“Another time I telling a woman she can’t go in without the card and if you hear how she start cussing me stinking. And is nah no easy cussing, she using bad words and telling me that is why I have to stand up in the sun and open gate and all dem things. She tell me how me mouth corner white and how I hungry and all them things. I just didn’t say nothing. I did done tell she that she had to get the card and she can’t go in without it.

“She even tell me how I guh can’t see me way. I wouldn’t tell you I didn’t get vex and even a lil shame because you know you there and people looking at you and you could see like some a them did happy with wah she doing.

“And I don’t have one location so sometimes I deh all over this town and while some places better than some, is all over people does get vex when you ask for the card. Maybe me and all woulda get vex if I was not a guard but I just want people to understand that they can’t take out them anger on we. We ain’t doing nothing,” she added.

The sister told me that being a security guard is not the job she wants but for now she can’t do better.

“You think I want be a guard? You think any woman or even man want be a guard? I don’t know about them but not me. But I can’t sit down home. I have children to feed and I don’t have education so I have to do what I have to do. I just working and praying and asking God that me children tek in dem education and don’t have to pass through what I going through.

“Some people does want talk anyhow and I not just talking about when you ask for the vaccine card. Is like sometimes they does believe that we is not people with feelings. Is like you disturbing them or something. But we just working for a honest dollar. They does look at you sometimes like if you is nothing. At least dah is how I does feel,” she said of her experience on the job.

“And the hurtful part is not just the people who coming to visit but the people working at them place too. Sometimes the big and high people in dem place, is like dem is God or something and we is nothing. They would come and sometimes you does be busy writing up something and they blowing and blowing. You does get so confused at times and then not a ‘morning’ or ‘good afternoon’, not even nod dem heads to show lil manners.

“You know how much time I does cry before going to work? Because is like you does ask you self if you is human because of how people does treat you. And now with the vaccine card it get worse,” she said.

I told her there are times when security guards are not the kindest.

“Yes, it must be true that it get one and two a them that does behave stupid. But you think about it, look at how things deh and you know if you mess up you could lose you job. You think people guh do things to lose dem jobs? No. So most times is we does be getting the bad treatment,” she answered.

“I not making excuse fuh nobody because all like that case with the woman and child, the guard shoulda never touch she. I would never touch nobody. If they want rush and go in then we guh have to deal with them some other way. But I not touching and pushing anybody. But don’t tek dah one case and paint all a we with one brush. We does get it really rough out hay, rough, rough.

“I just want to tell people that we is humans just like them and we have feelings. I want to tell them that is nah we asking for the vaccine card, is the people want you show it before you come in and if we don’t ask for it then we would lose we job. And me fuh one can’t afford that right now because I have children to mind.

“The money wha we wuking for done lil bit and we struggling. Don’t mek we life more hard. This vaccine thing deh all over. Everybody know if you going in certain places you have to get yuh card or your negative test and you gaffo mek a appointment. If you know you can’t do dem things then don’t come and try to make we life more miserable than how it already miserable.

“And you know something people not seeing especially since this whole COVID thing come? That we all is the same, that today it could be me or you. That is just it and we gone and leave

everything we have in this world. Yes, you might be rich or get a good job or something but dah don’t mean you have to be nasty to poor people. We here to stay. We is part of this world and if they don’t have poor people with no education then who guh do certain jobs? So I just want people out there to do better. We is security guards but we is humans and we have feelings,” she added.

This sister was neatly dressed in her uniform as she spoke to me. She later hurried off to her location as she did not want to be late.

I could not agree with her more. This period has shown us time and time again the importance of being kind. Just be kind, you don’t know the impact your kindness can have on someone’s life and it costs you nothing. Treat security guards as humans. Be courteous, that is all they ask. Show the vaccine card or negative test as required, or, as the sister said, don’t visit certain places. Just remember to be kind.