When Hurricane Dean hit the north on August 20th, the papaya was the hardest hit. Initially, Ministry of Agriculture analysts said that it was a complete wipeout - all 1,200 acres were gone. But a week later, field manager Gilberto Rivas told us that half of that, 600 acres can be saved. Vivas added that within a week or two, they would be taking back what he called a big chunk of their labor force. Well, today, a big chunk of that labour force got fired. 7NEWS was in Calcutta Village in the Corozal District when they got the bad news.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
700 to 800 Fruta Bomba employees received a letter like this when they showed up at the Fruta Bomba office today. It informs them that due to Hurricane Dean, they have become redundant and are being
terminated immediately. The letter comes with a check, paying them for their time of service. And while it is a letter of termination, it offers some hope, saying that they will be reconsidered for employment early next year. But a company representative today told us that while many will be re-hired - they aren't making any promises as to how many or who or exactly when.
From 8:00 this morning, employees lined up outside Fruta Bomba headquarters in Calcutta Village to get their letters and their checks. Fearing difficulties, Fruta Bomba asked police to come in and secure the area. Those employees we spoke to, many of them working as many as 6 years, were neither emotional nor militant, they were just uncertain about the future.
Man #1,
[Translation] "We are not happy with this because everybody wants
to work and we know that it's not their fault but they should have responded in another manner."
Man #2
[Translation] "We didn't expect what they did to us but these are things of God."
Man #3,
[Translation] "We're in a crisis right now because what will
we do because everywhere we go, we don't have work. With the little money that they gave us, we will see what we can do to maintain our family with it. We have to see what we can do and where we can find a job to maintain our families. That is all I can say."
Jules Vasquez,
What was your job?
Woman #1,
"Harvesting papaya."
Jules Vasquez,
What will you do now?
Woman #1,
"Find another job."
Jules Vasquez,
Do you know where you're going to work or do you have any job opportunities in mind?
Woman #1,
"No."
Man #4,
"No job til the future, 2008."
Jules Vasquez,
What are you going to do?
Man #4,
"Well I guess I have to find a next job. I can't just be depending on this company until 2008 because if I don't work how will I eat, how will I live."
Jules Vasquez,
You have ideas as to what kind of work you will find? What did you use to do at Fruta Bomba?
Man #4,
"Well in the fields."
Jules Vasquez,
You have idea of where you'll go to work?
Man #4,
"Well any job that comes up, I'll be willing to do it. Life
is hard out yah. Have to find the job, the job won't find you."
Man #5,
"They say they might apply me back."
Jules Vasquez,
So but you have to wait until 2008, what will you do in the time being?
Man #5,
"Well with the time when you wait for the grass to grow, the cows them di starve."
Jules Vasquez,
Well you've been paid all your benefits?
Man #6,
"Yes they've paid for the one year and eight months."
Jules Vasquez,
May I ask how much is your check for?
Man #6,
"I got $443 for the one year and eight months."
Jules Vasquez,
You don't have any job right now and you don't have any prospect to get a job.
Man #6,
"I am looking for a job but things are very bad right now; all about. All of us you see right now, don't have a job."
Jules Vasquez,
So you have a plan?
Man #6,
"What I do I have a vehicle and I try to do a little hustling but this morning this morning they're moving us out from the place where we parked so we have to find somewhere to try and survive our life."
Jules Vasquez,
Now $443 is not a whole lot. What will you do with that?
Man #6,
"I have a little daughter going to high school so its kind of rough."
And while Fruta Bomba may not want him back - he feels the same way.
Man #6,
"But then it doesn't make sense to come back right here because then these people are very chancey. So I feel maybe they got a disaster like this. From 3:30 in the morning you wake up and try to make a $30 to $35 and you reach home around 4 or 5 in the evening."
Jules Vasquez,
What sort of work did you do before?
Man #6,
"I use to de harvest; pick with a ladder and push wheelbarrow. So to make a $30 to $35 you have to work like mule."
This man worked as a watchman - he couldn't read his letter or figure out how much they paid him - so we told him - here's what he had to say.
Man #7,
[Translation] "$202.50. Yes, that's what I make as watchman
- thank you very much."
Jules Vasquez,
Is that enough?
Man #7,
"Yes, of course."
Jules Vasquez,
Did you expect more?
Man #7,
"No, no why would I say that Ii am expecting more. God made me humble."
And so while there was no uproar or great show of anger today - considering that over 700 people got fired - the truth is that most of them expected it and have grown accustomed to the fact that after Hurricane Dean, their lives will not be the same again for quite some time or at least until these trees are standing upright again full of fresh fruit.
Despite numerous attempts we were unable to reach personnel manager Israel Manzanilla for comment. This morning, Rigobereto Vivas told us the were laying off between 7 and 800 workers and giving them notice pay. He says they are keeping 150 to 200 persons including administrative staff and those working to rehabilitate the damaged fields. He says they do not promise to take back all those that have been fired, but they will take back some of them.
