Statistical Institute workers worry about safety
It is the responsibility Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) to collect statistics about the different aspects of life whether it is food, family or the price of goods. It is through these statistics collected that inform the government’s decision about policies that impact the lives of people. This data is collected by workers who go from door to door even in the most dangerous communities. However, with Jamaica’s increasing crime rate these STATIN workers should ensure that their safety comes first.
Due to the nature of the job, it is preferred that more females are recruited than males. Males are seen as more of a threat than females, especially within volatile communities. A STATIN worker told the Monitor that you had to expect the unexpected when going to people’s houses. The worker recalled an instance when they went to a house and the individuals at the home set their dogs on them. The worker was bitten and had to seek medical attention.
Another worker shared that after working with STATIN for over 30 years the only protection she ever received from them was an umbrella to shield her from the sun or rain. ‘You betta protect yourself, the office na do fi you’, said the worker. The worker said she once had to run for her life in Spanish Town as gunmen were firing shots in the area.
Other than gun violence, there is also violence against women. A worker who visited a gated community a couple of months ago said she sat on the veranda of a man and the man closed the grill. She had to pretend like someone was coming to pick her up to get the man to open back the grill. Another woman reported that a man lifted her up and took her into his house.
STATIN advises their workers that they should not enter an individual’s space without checking for an escape. They also advised that if the person looks dangerous avoid going there at all cost. Whenever matters are reported in which the individual is hurt insurance is provided to them to cover their visit to the doctor.
Workers who drive do not face as much danger as the ones who walk. It is imperative that the workers who walk be very vigilant of their surroundings. A worker said “I just have to walk with God enuh because these attackers have enhanced weapons”.
