By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
TWO weeks ago, Kamille Adderley was laid off with only two days’ pay.
With her employer closing because of the government’s COVID-19 emergency orders, the young mother says she is not in a position to pay her rent or care for her two-year-old child.
“Only God has gotten me through this so far or else I would have been crazy,” Ms Adderley, 26, said. “I have no job, can’t go anywhere to check on things. I work at a jewellery store downtown. My boss told us on March 15 that everything was shutting down and there would be no cruise ships in town and that he has no other choice but to close down the store and lay us off temporarily.
“He paid us for the two days we had worked and told us he cannot say when we can come back to work. Some think we won’t be back for the rest of the year. We don’t know what’s happening with that.
“I took that money, the two days’ pay, and went straight to my landlord and told them that’s all I have and I have no idea where the next payment will be coming from. I don’t feel good about this, but I had no choice as it’s the roof over my head and my child’s head.”
The entire country has been on a 24-hour curfew since last week with only limited movement allowed to essential workers and citizens going to grocery stores, banks, pharmacies and takeaway food outlets.
Ms Adderley’s rent is due every two weeks and is inclusive of power and water. She is anxious that if she cannot pay her rent, her utilities may be shut off as well.
Although she said she made a small salary, it was enough to pay her rent and buy necessities for her child. She is a single mother and said she receives no assistance from her child’s father.
“Besides the rent, I have no food for my child or (diapers),” she said. “I have no money coming in and I don’t know what to do. My daughter needs to eat and she also has things she would need like Pampers. I am trying to potty-train her, but she still uses Pampers.
“I don’t know what to do. I explained to the landlord what was happening to me, but you know landlords have bills to pay as well. I am afraid of being evicted with my child. So far the landlord has not been threatening, but I know they want their money. I don’t want to be evicted with this young child. I’ve seen people end up with legal action being taken against them when they couldn’t pay their rent here and I’ve seen locks being changed. I can only hope and pray that God helps me.”
The National Insurance Board is offering unemployment assistance to people who have been laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis. On Tuesday, National Insurance Minister Brensil Rolle said the agency had received 17,000 applications so far; this does not include laid off hotel workers who will be processed separately.
Asked if she has applied for an unemployment benefit, Ms Adderley, who has no computer, said she has no way of applying online. She is also doubtful she will receive the immediate assistance she needs at this time if she applies.
“This has been the worst few days of my life,” Ms Adderley continued. “I heard that NIB has some 17,000 applications before them and that’s not the hotel people as yet. That’s what I heard. Those payments are going to take months to process and someone told me they don’t get cheques from NIB until months after they applied for benefits. I cannot wait for months to get money. I might be working again when they finally pay me.
“The government is telling you how to get some assistance, but the way it’s being explained is not clear to me. On top of that I have no way of getting to NIB or Social Services because the buses have stopped running. The bus is my only means of transportation. I would have gotten on a bus and gone to a few places, but now I can’t.”
Public transport has been shut down to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Ms Adderley is now appealing for public assistance.
Comments
Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago
Maybe her first appeal for help should be to her baby-daddy? Just maybe? No mention of him and his responsibilities ... and maybe learn how to wash nappies instead of paying for Pampers?
joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago
… you beat me to it. So the baby daddy has the fun but the public must come to her support? What about family friends etc? Why are her life choices for public consumption? The amazing part is these people have no shame or conscience and are unable to see the role their personal choices play in their lives being where it is at this time!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
She may not even know who the father is?
SP 4 years, 7 months ago
You are a heartless jackass! This young lady is in real trouble, is desperately in need of the bare necessities just for survival, and all you can do is throw jeers and low blows? Really? What kind of low life animal are you?
PM Minnis said it right yesterday "if one of us falls, we all fall". We are ALL in this mess together.
Pull up your socks, stop being a selfish idiot, and try to be humane for once in your sorry excuse for a life!
Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago
OK .., you go pay her rent and nappies. Maybe if she hadn’t been spending $200 a pop for that hairdo, she’d have some savings.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
Amen!
Cobalt 4 years, 7 months ago
@SP I understand the nature of your vexation, but this young lady is in the wrong. She has to rid herself of the idea that life owes her something. Working at a jewelry store will not support a family and she has no one to blame but herself. People the world over need to understand that making poor choices in life comes back to haunt you. The time that should she should have spent securing her financial future was clearly wasted lying on her back making babies. Bahamians!!! For God sake, stop having children you can’t afford!!!!!!
SP 4 years, 7 months ago
What an extremely sad state to be caught in! This young person and any number of others in our country after doing all they can to support themselves, suddenly find themselves between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Ms. Adderley is pleading for assistance, but she did not include how to contact her. If anyone knows her, please put her contact information here so if someone can be of any assistance, they have a means of contacting her.
In the interim, perhaps PM Minnis can quickly look into the possibility of how constituency offices can be used as another layer of a safety net layer to assist and bring some relief to her and other people that find themselves in this type of immediate dire need situation.
Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago
She also failed to mention if she has parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts or uncles who might help her out before she expects the public — 10s of thousands of whom are in the same boat — to leap up and pay her bills. Let alone her baby-daddy.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
More Amen!
mckenziecpa 4 years, 7 months ago
Some of you guys are being insensitive
joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago
… lend me $100 dollars, my baby hungry and I need to put some gas in my car? If your first response is to give the money, I will send you my account number for a quick transfer!
But seriously, there are many Bahamians who sacrifice, try to make smart choices to limit the hardship that poor decisions can bring and have been proactive in building their lives. Being successful in this country by being honest, hardworking and planning for the future is not easy, and I refuse to put my hand out if I have not done everything in my power to change my situation first! When those I am responsible for have a need their only duty is to come to me first. As the man of the house it is MY duty to take care of my responsibilities. That's why I don't believe in having 'outside' children and sweetheartin'. I believe that should go for all of us!
stillwaters 4 years, 7 months ago
I think she can put a little more effort into getting help, and let begging be her last resort.....most of us are strapped for cash right now.
My2centz 4 years, 7 months ago
I feel the same way. Even though she has all of these immediate needs, she is not being proactive. This puts an air of entitlement over her plea for help. There are thousands more in her situation finding way to help themselves, first and foremost. But I hope she, and all who are in need, get some assistance.
joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago
… actually I hope she learn to make better choices! All actions have consequences, even if we do not think of them at the time!
TalRussell 4 years, 7 months ago
Comrade SP, even whilst not intending to, you've touched on a much sensitive topic - the 35 red shirts House MP's $200,000 per year x almost 4 years in power = $800,000 in per MP's Constituencies Allowances ...... Where's the close $1 million per MP's expenditure accounting x 35 = $35 million. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?
stillwaters 4 years, 7 months ago
Nodding once
TalRussell 4 years, 7 months ago
Hopefully all Constituencies Expenditures met the Oversite Expectations - yet not much MP's chatter fanfare - considering it involves $35 million out PopoulacesPurse. Would've sure come in real handy right about now for the many thousands Out Schools Children's Lunches this virus time. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?
Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago
What the heck is a Popoulaces?
ohdrap4 4 years, 7 months ago
A type of fish. There are dolphins and popoulaces.
Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago
🤣🤣🤣
DDK 4 years, 7 months ago
People's!!! Lol 🤣
bogart 4 years, 7 months ago
THANK YOU MS. ADDERLEY AND THANK YOU JOURNALIST FOR THIS STORY FOR COMING FORWARD, LOTS OF COURAGE.
Story are hundreds of times over with the failures lack of action and inaction by all for decades and avenues to minimize it.
Thank you for those men who know good broughupsy, thank those 16 year olds and young womem who do not get get pregnant and child every other year in PMH and lining up at Social Services for many children, thanks to those boys and girls who find work and did not join gangs terriorizing others enlarged costly somewhat inefficient Police, thank you for good commonsense and abstinence good churchly values not overwhelming govt schools with many children without fathers causing teachers and police to raise them, thank many single parents to be good parent and not children or themselves join gangs, prostitites, drugs, .shoplift, rob....get guns and bulk of murders by youths......sad.
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