Norman Grindley/Acting Photography Editor
Inflation and high food costs are hitting the Jamaican family hard. With the value of the dollar slipping against its US counterpart (some dealers are selling the US dollar for J$75), the economic crisis is causing tremors in many relationships.
Sanya Lutashas been with her partner for about five years but feels like calling it quits.
"I can't deal with this right now. I am tired of living from pay cheque to pay cheque and him really can't help me right now.
"He has the same problems, so he can't help me right now," Lutas told Saturday Life.
She related that she was on the verge of crying earlier this week when she realised that she did not have bus fare to travel to work.
Her common-law partner, she said, is equally frustrated.
"He is not able to provide and it is really bothering him to the point where he is now taking out his problems on me," Lutas explained.
Fewer lovemaking sessions
She said they argue regularly and the disputes have put a drag on their sex life, resulting in fewer lovemaking sessions and less pleasure.
Everything seems to be falling apart for Leroy Jones. His business collapsed and his relationship is on the rocks.
"Not even my light bill I can pay," he told Saturday Life.
Jones added: "Sometimes I get so cross and I feel like I am driving her away, but when a man cannot provide for his family, it is not a nice thing," he says.
While Jones tries to do odd jobs, the money is just not enough to run the house. To make matters worse, his girlfriend is out of a job.
Sara Lintonhas been the breadwinner for several years now after her spouse lost his job.
She has paid the bills, sent the children to school and done just about everything to keep the family afloat.
Now, she is now at her wits' end.
"Right now, I feel like running away because I just cannot deal with this anymore," Linton said.
She added: "I have never seen it like this before. By the time I get my pay, it's finished and it is so difficult to get money to borrow."
Breaking point
Her marriage has reached breaking point - she and her husband no longer communicate.
"I just want him to go because I can't take love to supermarket," she said.
Sex is the last thing on George Green'smind.
"Right now, my head feel like it's going to burst open and I can't think about anything to do with love now," the 33-year-old businessman told Saturday Life.
Psychologist Dr Asquith Reid said the economic crisis can have negative effects on relationships.
"I think that many persons underestimate the value that money has on relationships. Even when we say it is not primary, it is significant," said Reid.
He noted that if relationships are not effectively grounded, they tend to wither away with depleting family funds.
Names withheld
petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com
Survivor Guide
Have a nice dinner at home. For a week, take note of how much is spent on fast food and restaurant dining. Then for a week make your meals at home, keeping track of money spent on ingredients for the meals. You may be surprised by the savings. Use the leftovers for lunch.
Before you go shopping, complete a list. If it is not on the list, don't buy it.
Consolidate shopping trips to decrease petrol expenditure.
Trying to find a reason to quit that nasty habit? Calculate how much you spend on cigarettes per day, per week or per month. If you're really interested, look at the cost per a year. Please substitute your own habit for the example. Consider for the added bonus of weight loss to give up regular soda for water.
Source: ehow.com
Countdown
5 highest Jamaican national awards
Order of National Hero
Order of the Nation
Order of Merit
Order of Jamaica
Order of Distinction
4 foods brought here by the Spaniards:
Pomegranate: This sweet, seedy fruit is now being processed into juices, scents and soaps.
Ginger: This is a hot tasting root with finger like projections. Flavouring can be made from this root and be used in drinks (ginger beer) and in cooking.
Banana: This is a long fruit with yellow or green skin which can be eaten ripe or boiled if unripe. Green bananas are rich in iron.
Grapes: Can be red, green or purple in colour. They grow in bunches on a vine and are used to make wine.
3 cool places to chill
Kool Running Water Park, located in beautiful Negril, is superb water-slide amusement park great for family fun.
Dunn's River Falls, an all-time favourite in Ocho Rios, is great for those who just want to chill on the beach as well as adventure seekers who love to live on the edge.
Dolphin Cove, also located in Ocho Rios, offers myriad fun-loving options such as swimming with dolphins, glass-bottomed boat rides and snorkelling with stingrays.
2 friendly freaks
Bats, drats. No need to go running like a bat out of hell if you see one of these high-flyers. Aside from their annoying dusty residue, bats want to be left alone, so don't go batty over these harmless creatures which just want a dark place to call home.
Lizards, the bane of most women who abhor creepy-crawlies, literally drive you up the wall. But really, these friendly reptiles generally cause no harm unless you've got a few Komodo dragons lurking around your backyard.
1 fifteen-letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter
UNCOPYRIGHTABLE
- Diandra Allen
Source:
Jamaica: Living Together in Society, Book 1, Carlong Publishers.