Clarendon businessmen give back

Five businessmen from Clarendon have teamed up to put a smile on the faces of the elderly and homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The business owners form a part of the parish-based James and Friends Education Programme. They donated $800,000 worth of vouchers to dozens of persons in Clarendon.

"The vouchers are broken down in $3,000 and $5,000. We try to target the persons that are the most vulnerable at this time, and these include the homeless, disabled, sickly and elderly. These are the ones who don't have jobs and found it challenging even before the virus. So now it's even harder for them. So five of us came together and just did the vouchers so they can get stuff at the supermarket," said Junior Wilson, operator of Stoplight Wholesale in May Pen.

Join the cause

Also contributing to the cause is Stephen Liao of National Self-Serv Wholesale, also in May Pen, who says he is encouraging other business owners to join the cause and donate as much as possible.

"I am encouraging other business owners to come on board so that we can help to fight the virus. Instead of having those high-risk persons out there working or hustling for a dollar while exposing themselves to the virus, it's best we help them. This way, corona can be controlled and leave the island quicker, and then the country will be normalised again. But most important, these are the same persons who contribute to our business directly or indirectly; so once again, this is the time to give back," he said.