One social phenomenon in Jamaica that is often overlooked or taken for granted is the role and function of household workers or maids as they are oftentimes called.

These women can be angels in disguise and thus a blessing to a household, or they can be the meanest and most conniving vixens. Suffice it to say, like so many other professionals, they have played a pivotal role over these many decades in the development of Jamaica, land we love.

Without doubt, many adults owe their rites of passage to the women who nurtured and guided them as young ones whose parents or guardians had very little time to carry out those duties that are critical to the overall growth and development of children. These are the honest, hard-working, decent, and conscientious workers who are a major asset in many middle- and upper-class households. Indeed, they sometimes play the role of counsellor, nurse, confidante, nutrition expert as well as mediator in many moments of crisis.

These are the better ones. Numerous families and even single men and women can attest to the many horrors they have experienced with so-called “helpers”. There was this helper, for example, who frequently entertained her unemployed boyfriend once her employers had gone to work. He would arrive and be treated in fine style, helping himself to the liquor cabinet, raiding the refrigerator, and “cocking up him foot” in the living room settee while watching television and smoking a spliff. And to top it all off, he and his female accomplice would then get down to the lascivious exercise of making love while music played on the stereo. Their unconscionable enterprise finally came to an end when the boss turned up unexpectedly one afternoon to pick up some documents and caught them in the act, in flagrante delicto!

Then there was that horrific story about a young couple who had just settled into their new home and employed a helper from the country. Much to their shock and surprise, they came home one evening to find many of their appliances, pieces of furniture, crockery, bed linen, and other items missing. The ingrate, with the help of accomplices, had brought a truck to the house and loaded it with the stuff then headed off to an unknown destination, leaving the hapless couple in despair.

Of course, there have been those helpers who provide “additional services” to the male occupants of households. For example, it is no secret that many a teenage boy had his first sexual experience with a helper (“bruk him ducks”), who either initiated the encounter or yielded to his advances, especially if “him nice and handsome”. Husbands and boyfriends have also had affairs with helpers, which, in some instances, have led to unwanted pregnancies, resulting in serious upheavals in the home. Interestingly, in the more upscale homes, the matter is covered up in order to save face.

In the meantime, incidents of theft are frequent occurrences with helpers helping themselves to a variety of items, including cash, jewellery, clothes, crockery, foodstuff, you name it! Pilfering, which frequently takes place in public entities, such as hospitals, schools, and various government establishments, is also a pastime for many unscrupulous workers who can be very barefaced in carrying out their illicit activities, swearing on the
Bible that, “A no mi dweet, ma’am.”

It is to be noted, however, that in many instances there are many unconscionable employers who treat their household workers with disdain and very little compassion. In most cases, these worker come from very poor and depressed communities so they bite their lips and work for meagre wages and are oftentimes overworked and underpaid. It is understandable, therefore, that when these hapless women are exposed to households that have all the creature comforts they may be tempted to steal and do those things that are dishonest in order to survive.

But not all household workers fall into this category. Some are honest, hard-working, and conscientious, going beyond the call of duty. In such a scenario, some families treat them as family and take a great interest in their welfare as well as that of their children. In this regard, it must be stressed that household workers play an important role in the nation’s quality of life and should, therefore, be appreciated and respected, not just treated as maids.

The establishment of the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union (JHWU), which has published A Manual for Household Workers and Employers in Jamaica, is a welcome intervention. There is an estimated 58,000 to 100,000 household workers across Jamaica, the majority of whom are women. It is important that these workers are protected against exploitation, violence, and harassment from their employers.

The definition of a household worker or helper is one who carries out jobs such as cleaning, cooking, laundry, caring for a child, or caring for someone who is sick or elderly, or work outside the house: gardening or driving (usually men) on a regular basis. To put it bluntly, they are very important to the socio-economic fabric of this country and so, in the very final analysis, they deserve our respect and admiration because, in real terms, they have to do our “dirty work”.

Notwithstanding the fact that there are those unscrupulous household workers who too often help themselves to their employers’ property, there are the many who do their jobs with diligence and dedication, going the extra mile to make sure so many of our households are clean and suitable for a high-quality life.

Jamaica owes household workers a debt of gratitude. And especially in these challenging times, it can be said that they are part of the backbone of this nation, keeping it firm and strong. More power to them!

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full time in Jamaican media for the past 49 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.