Little Ease needs basic school, jobs

Residents of Little Ease in St James say that the rural farming district is in desperate need of infrastructural development, including a basic school for the local children and employment opportunities for the community’s youths.

Petisha McAnuff, who operates a shop close to the border of Little Ease and neighbouring Paisley, pointed to a building a few chains away, that previously served as the local basic school but has been boarded up for at least a decade.

“There’s a basic school that needs to be opened, and the little children need to be going to school. It’s 10 years I live here, and from I come here, it nuh open,” said McAnuff.

“The teacher had migrated, and another lady had tried to get the school. I think a workshop here would be good because the kids have their assignments, and they have to be going to Montego Bay (to get work done).”

Additionally, while Little Ease is usually quiet and crime-free, resident Errol Lewis said that jobs are needed for the young people.

He expressed concern that if jobs are unavailable, young people will be idle and at risk of falling into crime.

“The youths need work, and we wouldn’t want the crime to come in here because the youths have no work. So if even a little factory could set up, it would be good,” said Lewis.

Another shopkeeper, Danny Sterling, agreed with Lewis’ assessment about the need for jobs but said that many of the youths needed skills training and motivation to get employment.

“The youths need to be ‘captured’ towards looking work as telling them to look work, it’s like it goes in one ear and out the other. Those who are willing to work may not have the skills to go out and work,” Sterling lamented.