Man was happy earning $2,000 a week
Yallahs Primary School guard ignores ridicule from his friends
Most Jamaicans would scoff at a salary of $2,000 weekly, given that the current national minimum wage is $6,200 for a 40-hour work week, or $155 per hour. But to 43-year-old Wayne Campbell, the pay was an acceptable start, even as his friends ridiculed him at the time.
“Ah waste man work dat, man. $2,000 week, ah waste man fi do dem work deh, my friends said. But when a remember mi effort to get this job and being outta work so long, mi never care,” said Campbell, who is employed as the guard at Yallahs Primary School.
“Nuh man nah come gi me $2,000, an mi sure a mi $2,000,” he told the Jamaica Observer North and East. “Mi nah stop work yah man; who a go gi me $2,000?”
But that was 15 years ago.
Life has always been tough for Campbell.
His father, he said, died when he was a baby, so he has no memory of him. “Mi nuh know how him stay like,” Campbell said.
He recalled that he was just 15 years old when his family moved from Font Hill, St Thomas where was born, to Lloyd’s Pen in the parish where he attended Trinityville Primary School.
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But given the financial hardships being experienced by his family, Campbell was forced to find work, especially to help his five sisters.
The loss of his father, though, proved a source of pain for him, particularly when his friends would talk about their dads.
“Sometimes when mi friend dem a seh ‘mi a go call mi father fi him send dung some Clarks fi mi or money fi mi holiday’, mi go a one corna an go bawl,” an emotional Campbell shared.
“I was a handy man, and I was always trying to help others in every way I could. One of my good friends and church brother was working at the school gate as a watchman before and I would accompany him and have talks with him,” Campbell related.
“The place was nice and the walk from home was an easy one, so, I started to visit my friend very often. My interest grew stronger and stronger, so I put out a deeper interest as I started to look at the situation, thinking I could one day get the job as watchman at Yallahs Primary School. “Then I started to step up on my manners by greeting the staff and parents,” Campbell said.
His effort was not in vain as both teachers and parents started to notice Campbell. Eventually a former principal at the school engaged Campbell’s services. He started to wash dishes at the school’s canteen, distributed lunch, and swept the compound, among other tasks. That resulted in him being employed full-time.
“When mi hear, mi run go tell mi friend dem. Mi tell dem seh mi a work ova primary,” Campbell explained, unable to mask his elation, even after more than 20 years on the job.
As the school guard, Campbell said his focus extends beyond just opening and closing the school gate. He stated that he had a vested interest in seeing the children do well.
“Mi wouda love fi see di children dem improve. Mi would love fi see more pass and more children dem stop giggle, giggle and buckle up more, ’cause when dem nuh pass di parents dem feel bad when dem nuh get di school weh dem put pan di paper. Sometime a different school dem go weh dem neva expect,” Campbell said in reference to the Grade Six Achievement Test.
That was fifteen years ago. Inspirational, even if he was working twenty cents today, he is making him own money. Sometimes we ‘shame’ low paying jobs thats why some people doont take them, then we label them as worthless.
Well said.
At lease him a work…..one good thing he said the same ppl bashing him sure won’t give him $2000 every week, It is an underpay job yes but he’s sure of the $2000 a week.
My grandmother always say is not what u work is what u save some u c how u save out a nothing pay bills out a nothing and wonder how did I do that nobody never gave him that I’m glad for small ambition because it help u to push inspirational
But why are they paying him less than minimum wage? Isnt that illegal? If its even $5000 per week dem could give him
great job.. i salute you… inspirational all day
Isn’t it a government job if he works for a primary school,so why was he underpaid? He is a humble and hardworking man,better to work for a little than walk and beg a lot. Keep up the good work,sir.
Well, anything better than $0/wk. Until you are unemployed and nuh have a ting coming in you won’t know what it feels like to get something. Seems like he lived close to work so no transportation cost, and him never have to worry bout lunch money. Him alright. Di waste man dem a di ones weh siddung a paaza from mawning till night a rub out dem hand miggle and smoke all day long, a dem a di waste man dem. From country to town they can be seen all day long doing nothing. I tell you right now seh nuff man a yawd never hold a steady job dem entire working years, not even mawkit dem guh go sell a bag a mint or pimento seed. Dis man work him honest bread no wuklissness inna dat, all honest labour is honourable.